counselor

program manager

senior program coordinator

health advocate

operations coordinator

Boston Public Health Commission

Overall, people go to work, look at a screen and push paper around. With a moderate proficiency in Office 365, you will be able to get most of your tasks done within a few hours. The rest of your time you have to explain the work you have done to people who are half listening and have made a decision about how to move forward without telling you that a decision is made. This may result in you asking yourself "Why did you have me do all of this work?" On the flip side, its good practice for your next position. 

To stay at the Commission can become a professional moral hazard. There is barely any potential for real job growth within the commission. Politics and favoritism are abundant. You can stay at the Commission by completing the bare minimum work or by following age-old bureaucratic traditions. There is an incremental risk of becoming institutionalized by a questionable work culture at the cost of modernizing a government system that needs a younger workforce to remain relevant. Change is not a practiced value.   

The word collaboration is often used but rarely practiced. Attempts at collaborative approaches toward the work are often stymied by bureaucracy and lack of operational vision.  

All and all, BPHC is a government machine that doesn't care much about your professional development.  Management try's to be supportive. Unfortunately, management is not very good at providing support. Often the delivery of professional development takes the form of lackluster e-mail announcements and ideas that loose steam after a year.  I guess this checks the box for the agency. That doesn't mean there isn't any opportunity to develop as a professional. For those who are acutely aware of there own needs will be better at targeting how to take advantage of the opportunities. Those who are more wayward in their professional development are less likely to thrive. 

There are times when greatness shines and great work is being done every day. Some wonderful people shed light in the darkness of bureaucratic complacency and provide hope that there is a better future for this important institution. If you can leave your ego at home, open to paying your dues and willing to overlook some of the typical shenanigans that come with any job, you may be able to help this place turn a corner. If not, and you begin to feel the burden of institutional pressures, get what you need and go.

It was a homeless shelter for women. I liked my job as a supervisor. The employees I managed were stubborn and immature. Everyone was always gossiping and sometimes people got in trouble for it. There was no job security. Even with a union, staff were reprimanded and/or terminated by upper management people who chose to nitpick. No one wants to listen to new ideas to make the place better for staff and clients. Changes were made without including supervisors in the decision-making process. You get no respect for having an education, or wanting to further your education. At the time when I started, I only had a bachelor's in Public health. I quickly learned that I was way overqualified for the position and that the stress is not worth it. I felt like I was in the military, constantly battling to stay alive. Take my advice, run. No seriously, run

A typical day at work included a check-in, team builders, and icebreakers. Which were follwed by the staff meetings. Depending on the day, the staff would go to different sites and help prepare events and attend workshops that were trainings in conflict resolution and other work related issues. What was learned from this program was better management of microsoft office, and the ongoing issues around the community involving health inequites and obiesity. I also learned the right way to present a presentation, and great tips on how to facilitate a meeting. The hardest part of the job was geting to know people and getting comfortable in a different work envoirment.

Walk into a very quiet office with several employees in their cubicle. I provided administrative support to the Program Director. I typed correspondence, contacted organizations and schools, set up meetings, managed her schedule, screened her calls, and perform data entry duties. I learned about how this org. help provide food for the poor and distribute information to the public especially the schools about eating healthy meals. The co-workers were mostly mature experienced people who was very knowledgeable. The hardest part of the job was when the work was slow. The most enjoyable part of the job was being a part of the organization's mission to help feed the underprivileged.

Employees at this organization do care about advancing public health and equity, and the organization does a wonderful job at maintaining a diverse workforce. 

However, because it is such a large organization and the various programs are spread out across the city, there does seem to be a lot of variation in management styles, type of work (especially project-based work compared to daily program upkeep), opportunity for promotion and whether or not the program leadership seem invested in the employee's future. There does seem to be some tension across the organization around balancing innovation with processes and red tape, which can create the perception of slowness.

Without the appropriate training, its very difficult to perform your job well. You're constantly held accountable for errors that you were unaware of, because of information you weren't provided with from the start. Your training reflects the quality of your work, and  from my experience, the manager was selective with the information they would share, as to maintain job security for themselves. Rather than ask if I had been trained to do certain things, or had been shown; i would be reproached or given verbal warning. After, having been able to prove that errors were made because i hadn't been trained in a manner, would certain trainings and information then be administered, without so much as an apology for the oversight.

my day starts with a group meeting on what to present to our partners from another program. we think about current issues in our community and how they can be resolve then we show them to our partners. ive learned alot from that job, especially how to take care of yourself from health issues. the management was great. they taught us step by step how to do a workshop and it was more than helpful. my coworkers were the best, whether we were working or on lunch break we always stuck together. the hardest part was thinking of what to present to our partners. with all of us having an idea, it was really hard deciding on what to focus on. the enjoyable parts were field trips on fridays and dental school on tuesdays.

Not only does BPHC not pay well compared to other agencies in the area, but you also HAVE TO LIVE in one of the most expensive cities in the Country to get that insufficient pay.   What an outdated, backwards requirement given the current job climate and market.   No one works here for very long because they get poached to go work in one of the many other places in town for better pay, easier work, no residency requirement and the ability to be remote a couple days a week.   We've had vacancies for over THREE years because of these issues and it doesn't look like it's getting any better.   Benefits are good, but get used to living with multiple roommates for the rest of your life if you're going to make a career of it.

I start my day by meeting with my supervisor to summerise the tasks for the day. Priortise my tasks and projects. Meet with my co-workers discuss work related issues. The hardest part of the Job is providing support to customers both in and out of my work environment in a timely manner. The most enjoyable part of the Job is giving of my self by providing a service that help to benefit the residence of Boston, " To protect. preserve the health and well being of all Boston residents, particularly those that are most volunerable".BPHC

I had great time at work with associates and especially my boss. He was a hard working individual who is very open and professional. He thought us all the necessary skills required to do the job well done efficiently and effectively. Our boss respected us and get along well with each other. The hardest part of the job is to clean the shower, yet due to good training, materials, and skill learned, we did the job well and on time. The most enjoyable part of the job was that we worked as a team. Helped one another to get the job done. I hard great time.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Counselor 12 salaries reported	$785 per week
Program manager 5 salaries reported	$68,400 per year
Senior program coordinator 2 salaries reported	$1,291 per week
Health advocate 14 salaries reported	$964 per week
Operations coordinator 4 salaries reported	$952 per week

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