shelter worker

barista

outreach specialist

counselor

youth development professional

The Coffee Oasis

I had a lovely time with my team. Connecting with my community and the youth that come through was an absolute pleasure. I will miss maintaining the cafe with the work I did. I went through a lot of personal growth in my time here and am eternally grateful for it. I have a passion for customer service and feel that I fulfilled my duties to the absolute best of my ability. It was an absolute joy serving coffee in this town. 
I’d like to emphasize “time with my team”. I felt valued and appreciated and loved by my crew in the cafe. I cannot say the same about the higher management who oversees the company’s direction. The current leadership was not always present in my time here and they are unfortunately not a body I can put my trust in. 
It is quite clear how undervalued and under appreciated the baristas and cafe staff are.
I feel that there has been an ultimate display of disrespect for the people that helped run it as it did. 
There is always bound to be some sort of disconnect when it comes to different departments of a company especially the size of this one, but because of the smaller intimate nature of the business, the impact of said disconnect is felt greater. 
From the constant power tripping, lashing out, erratic decision making, poor communication, patterns of actively working against certain individuals; I am thankful for the time I had but I would certainly not recommend working here under it’s current administration.

1. Purpose-Driven Culture
The most rewarding part of the job is knowing that the proceeds from every latte sold go directly toward providing shelter, resources, and hope for homeless and at-risk youth. You aren't just a barista; you are a vital link in a chain of restoration for the local community.

2. Supportive Environment
Unlike the high-stress, corporate atmosphere of many national chains, The Coffee Oasis fosters a culture of kindness and mentorship.

Teamwork: You work with people who share your values.

Growth: Management often focuses on holistic development, helping you grow both professionally and personally.

3. Skill Development
You’ll walk away with a robust set of skills that look great on any resume:

Craft Coffee: Learn the art of manual brewing and high-quality espresso preparation.

Conflict Resolution: Gain experience interacting with a diverse public with empathy and patience.

Leadership: There are often opportunities to take on more responsibility within the social enterprise model.

4. Community Connection
The Coffee Oasis acts as a "living room" for the neighborhood. You get to build genuine relationships with regulars and see firsthand the impact of the youth programs hosted right in the same building or just down the street.

I worked here because I believed in the mission and the young people we served. But in the end, I left feeling disillusioned, burned out, and heartbroken. In my experience, youth program staff carry an immense load with very little recognition, support, or pay. The culture presents itself as inclusive and grounded in strong values, but what I personally saw behind the scenes didn’t reflect that. There were times where it felt like image mattered more than people, and that certain identities or perspectives were quietly pushed out or passed over. Leadership often preached one thing and practiced another, and it created an atmosphere that, in my opinion, was hard to trust. For anyone considering working here, especially in direct service roles, I would encourage you to pay close attention to how the organization treats its staff, not just how it talks about its mission.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The Experience Working With The Troubled Youth And Making A Difference In Their Lives!

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Being under staff And Not Feeling Appreciated More. The Upper Management Left A Bad Taste In My Mouth!!!

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The Work Environment Could Be Stressful At Times But When You Love What You Do It Plays A Big Part In Any Situation You Might Encounter

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Starting my shift off greeting my coworkers and youths and just being able to get my duties done and making youths feel like they made a good decision being at The Coffee Oasis while going through this transition time

The job is not very difficult and is easy to understand and get good at, the issue that I had was it doesn't pay very good, They didn't seem to appreciate hard work, at my specific location my manager prefers to schedule people she personally likes rather than someone who does the job good. Coworkers are fine, but if you do a good job you will be unappreciated. Lunches are unpaid, food is free as well as drinks. Overall a nice job for a longer career but if looking for better pay, the café side of this company. I cannot speak for the youth side. I think the company itself is a great company, I didn't have a very good experience with my location but you might.

I invested a lot into this business. I stayed late hours, long weeks and days and I was not paid for what I did. The labor is always over, baristas do not make tips. Workload is exhausting when short staffed. No training, had to make a training manual. Disregard for the time and effort I spent at the company. Upper management was erratic, under appreciative and controlling. A lot of emails that are passive aggressive rather than direct conversation. Expectations not explained until after you did something they feel is “wrong” and explain through a passive aggressive email. Hard to hire staff who want to stay because workload is too much for the time given. Hire people who should not be hired and refuse to fire them despite multiple reasons to let them go. Do not work at this coffee shop 

The Coffee Oasis is full of many caring and loving people who are there to improve the day of anyone who steps through the door. I enjoyed my time there and the people who I spent my time with. However, the pay was not up to par with what I needed to make the fast paced work worth it. All "tips" go towards good programs, for people who need it, but the pay they offer does not compensate for this. 

There is an unspoken expectation for employees to work beyond what they are compensated for. Employment experience does not match what was advertised, interviewed, or "trained" for. Their youth program model is unsustainable  in the long-term; evidenced by turn over. You will find a few amazing co-workers, but unless you are a "lifer" or work at the "COA" don't expect to get support from management on up. When accepting this position be aware that you are neither accepting a social work job nor a "missional" job, and unless you thrive in an environment with a pace that alternates between drowning and treading water, you will burn-out fast. They express a motivation to serve, but refuse to adapt to the needs of the communities they're in.

This organization wants so much for their youth. They genuinely care about them and want them to have what they need to be successful. I loved cooking for the youth and whenever I connected with them it was nice. There isn't much room for advancement and the pay is low and not sustaining no matter what degree you have. Even with communication and meetings I didn't feel heard when I needed a schedule change, and it stopped being a good fit for me. If anyone has experience working with youth with substance abuse/withdrawl or behavioral issues, this organization would benefit from your knowledge and help serve their youth better.

A company that cares about their community, but not about their employees. Employees were not allowed to keep tips even though they earned them. Pay is extremely low for the work that is expected. Management is immature and toxic. They spend their time gossiping about their employees and make it obvious when they don’t like you. They claim that they want to hear employees concerns, but are extremely defensive when you try to voice your concerns and you will receive backlash for it. Their is a high turnover for a reason

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Shelter worker 4 salaries reported	$21.75 per hour
Barista 2 salaries reported	$22.19 per hour
Outreach specialist 3 salaries reported	$19.67 per hour
Counselor 3 salaries reported	$21.16 per hour
Youth development professional 3 salaries reported	$19.50 per hour

Working at The Coffee Oasis: Company Overview and Reviews

The Coffee Oasis

The Coffee Oasis Ratings

Popular jobs at The Coffee Oasis

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected