YMCA of Southwestern Ontario Employee Reviews

Managers are overworked and underpaid, it's all about saving money and pushing yourself and your staff to give 110% when they are getting minimum wage, because "it's for a charity" - recognition from management is great, but to head office you are just a number and they don't care about you as a person at all.

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Don’t work for the YMCA of Southwestern Ontario.

Registered Early Childhood Educator (Former Employee) - London, ON - 29 November 2023

What is the best part of working at the company?Do not work for the YMCA of Southwestern Ontario What is the most stressful part about working at the company?The administration has no respect for the staff.What is the work environment and culture like at the company?It’s absolutely horrible. Just don’t do it.What is a typical day like for you at the company?You are run off of your feet and get no respect.

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Insights into YMCA of Southwestern Ontario

Based on 24 survey responses

What people like

Supportive environment
Clear sense of purpose

Areas for improvement

Fair pay for job
Trust in colleagues
Support from manager

Welcoming and respectful, so great to work at the Y

Childcare clerk (Former Employee) - London, ON - 4 November 2023

What is the best part of working at the company?Work environment, team work, lovely staff, good perksWhat is the most stressful part about working at the company?Nothing for me, I really enjoyed What is the work environment and culture like at the company?So welcome, respectful, integrated and funWhat is a typical day like for you at the company?Arrive, get ready, do my job, enjoy and finish my shift

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Supportive and personable environment

Membership Representative (Current Employee) - London, ON - 29 October 2023

Management is friendly and supportive, no barriers between Mgmt and front line workers in terms of treatment.Positive culture.Management is flexible accommodating days off to meet personal needs.There is a lack of communication and sometimes as a front line worker you don't know about changes and one needs to ask. There is a sense of "I don't know"l hot lw to move forward" in some of the tasks because you don't have the necessary information. At the same time, they are aware and comprehend this, they have too much on their plate, I hope they will have more organization moving forward.Definitely recommend for someone that prioritizes a positive environment.

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Fun to work with children.lots of learning opportunities.

Early Childhood Educator (Former Employee) - London, ON - 25 October 2023

It’s a good place to start off ECE career. Trainings are well organized, and there are lots of learning opportunities. Could be hectic throughout the day as you would imagine for all other daycares. Some staffs are toxic. But most of Co workers you would work with are nice.

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Before and After School

Educator (Former Employee) - Strathroy-Caradoc, ON - 18 October 2023

5 hours/day (2 in the morning and 3 at night, depending on site). This can be really nice depending on your personal schedule. Fast paced, fun. Can be stressful but most management is present and supportive. Pay is low and it can be hard with only 5 hours/day, but raises are available. Benefits are good but it takes longer than normal to qualify.

Pros

good management, engaging, short shifts

Cons

Odd hours, low pay, long time to get benefits

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Nice place to work

ECE Assistant (Former Employee) - London, ON - 26 September 2023

Nice and fair management Good company very supportive Fair day offs and vacations Lots of things to learn, it can be second school after graduation.Good to start

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Fun place to work!

School Age Educator (Current Employee) - London, ON - 4 August 2023

Great place to work and friendly environment - I enjoy working with children and there is a lot of variety of activities for them to enjoy! Co-educators are nice

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It was a fun place to work at.

School Age Site Supervisor (Current Employee) - Strathroy-Caradoc, ON - 4 July 2023

Working for the YMCA was fun and had lots of learning experiences. I only worked this past year at the YMCA as a School Age Educator and I would totally do it again.

Pros

Great Director!

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Nice place to work and learn.

Supply Early Childhood Educator (Former Employee) - London, ON - 3 July 2023

I loved working at the YMCA. I recommend this place for people who like to work with children. The supervisors are very friendly and helpful to their staff.

Pros

Paid workshops

Cons

None

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Jobs at YMCA of Southwestern Ontario

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YMCA Overnight Camp Henry Staff

No support for educators and a bad salary

Registered Early Childhood Educator (Current Employee) - London, ON - 4 April 2023

They do not support their educators and do not care about their employers. They pay TERRIBLY and you don't receive a raise. Their regional managers do not care about the people below them.

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Decent, poor wages and hours

School Age Educator (Current Employee) - Strathroy, ON - 1 March 2023

This job is good for someone who is retired and not someone who has a family or is trying to make a living. Start really early in the morning and then have a big gap in your day and end around dinner time. Only 25 hours a week and the wages are poor considering the amount of work and behaviours educators deal with. Management is attentive to needs and concerns and communicates well. Overall not a lot of people want to do this job because of the hours so if they paid people more then it is highly considered that they would get more applicants. It can be a stressful job at times.

Pros

Management, training

Cons

Poor wage, poor hours

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Not good not bad

Membership Services Representative (Former Employee) - London, ON - 30 January 2023

If you want to make some extra money while in school and get a free gym membership, this is the place for you. The Y gives so much to the community in subsidized memberships which is great except that they don't have enough leftover to pay their employees a fair wage.

Pros

Free gym membership

Cons

Minimum wage pay for a job that requires more than minimum wage work

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Workplace with fun

Dietary planner-Full time (Current Employee) - London, ON - 20 December 2022

I have been working since one year, I enjoy working in this place, but not satisfied with the pay. But they still have very good benefits with a free membership for yourself and 25% off for personal training, also off for family membership as well. It’s really a great place to work. The management is simply awesome.

Pros

No over time for kitchen staff.

Cons

Pay is too low.

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Great members, horrible management

Membership Services Representative (Former Employee) - Sarnia, ON - 17 December 2022

Over worked and under paid. 6-7 day work weeks. No raises (only when minimum wage went up that was considered a raise) ,no benefits. Unappreciated is an understatement.

Pros

Great members

Cons

Management is horrible

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Difficult…

Casual supply (Current Employee) - London, ON - 8 December 2022

I wouldn’t recommend this as a first time job. You are alone most of the day with your set ratio of children. You are tossed into a room full of children you don’t know and good luck learning their names as you won’t have someone to help guide you along the way. If you can’t handle stressful situation, don’t work here. If you’re experienced in working in single ratios, this could be for you. Hours are okay but they might cancel all your shifts without any reasoning.

Pros

Continuous learning

Cons

Stressful, no training when starting at new centres.

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Not the place to work if you want to make a living wage

Educator (Current Employee) - Lucan, ON - 24 August 2022

The pay rate is terrible and you cannot comfortably pay bills or afford to make a living off of the wages. Management is awful, they do not listen to you and they all gossip and speak negatively if you are not a favourite staff. It’s all about policies and an unecessary amount of paperwork. The company doesn’t care about you as an employee. It’s very rare that you receive positive feedback. Very toxic management environment. Only work 5 hours a day (split shift) and only work full time hours in P.D. Days or camps.

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Challenging work-life balance

Educator (Former Employee) - London, ON - 6 August 2022

Upper Management struggles to listen to supervisors and employees. Everything seems to be based around policies and insurance reasons. Work long hours, always on call and not paid enough for the amount of work needed.

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co workers were great

Team Member (Former Employee) - London, ON - 1 July 2022

Pay is low with weekend and evening shifts. Staff are great and will go above and beyond so members have a positive experience. An official full time position is hard to get, but lots of part timers working full time hours.

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It has potential

Rece (Former Employee) - London, ON - 13 March 2022

The director of my site is amazing but some management above her are not pleasant-nit pick and rude.Benefits are good but pay sucks.High expectations of staff compared to the pay.Childcare is busy in general but taking care if and educating the children is rewarding and enjoyable.

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Unorganized, negative, crazy place to work.

School Age Educator (Former Employee) - Goderich, ON - 10 February 2022

Do not recommend if you’re looking for steady hours or actual good pay, and a happy work environment. Managers and other staff are rude, and do not consider personal health choices. The gym machines are usually broken, and filthy.