victim advocate

domestic violence advocate

therapist

shelter aide

program coordinator

The Laurel Center

I spent over two years working at this organization and it is appalling how little is actually done to serve the community with the vast amount of resources and donations from the community that are received. 
The agency has a clear hierarchy with who is at the top and the bottom. Clients are treated horribly, like little children, and retraumatized when they enter the shelter, very few actually find trauma-informed support that empowers them to change their situation. 
The Laurel Center primarily cares about money and donations. The shelter often sits empty while all focus is on efforts to build a coffee shop instead of improving the services the agency is there to provide. 
Unfortunately, upper management has little experience with nonprofit work and victim services. The training is terrible and the only reason I knew how to do my job and was good at it was because I had come from another DV/SA agency. Because of the lack of training some staff (especially upper management) talk very poorly of clients and have little knowledge of how to empower survivors in their work. Having worked in this field for a while, I can say that this agency has a lot to learn and is way behind getting with the times in this field of work. 

I want to share my experience at The Laurel Center, particularly regarding the leadership. The mission of the organization is incredibly important, but I've found the work environment challenging due to the current executive team's approach.

One of the main issues is the leadership style, which often feels rigid and stifles creativity. This can make it difficult for the organization to serve the community effectively. It’s frustrating to see a dynamic that seems to mirror the control and power struggles we work to address with our clients.

I’ve also noticed a lack of understanding around trauma-informed practices among the executive team, which is concerning given the sensitive nature of our work. Many of my colleagues have been visibly upset after meetings, and that kind of atmosphere can be hard to navigate.

The high turnover rate speaks volumes. Even with decent pay and average PTO, many dedicated staff members have left, which impacts our ability to maintain a passionate and experienced team.

Additionally, it can be uncomfortable for employees during community tours, especially after being criticized by management. It creates a culture where people feel hesitant to engage openly, which is not ideal.

Overall, I believe The Laurel Center has so much potential, but the current leadership approach needs significant change to create a healthier environment for both employees and the community we serve.

If I could give less stars I would there’s so many issues with this company. Pay is almost always wrong and they rarely own up to their own mistakes and would rather blame it on an employee however that’s works. Intimidation is this company’s bread and butter and will use it for any minor behavioral issues.Rather then look at the management for why the employees feel such a way.They have no real interest in helping people in the community and will throw people out at a moments notice. If you make claims of abuse within the shelter with clients they will just disregard it. For a company whose mission is “helping women in need” they’re very bad at it. Considering they’ll throw anyone to the curve for more grant money and tear down other female employees. This is not active feminism but rather feminazism at it’s finest with mysognistic ideals this is not progressive at all. My whole year I’ve regretted this decision and all I’ve seen please consider before you work here!!!!

Currenty, I work as 3-11 Nursing Supervisor with excellent co-workers that work as a team for the benefit of residents. A typical day is to get report from day shift, do reports such as change in condition forms and bowel list. Check and give residents their IV medications. Check lab work and report any abnormalities to physician. Take new orders from physician and write them up. Do admissions, assessments and any incident reports that may incur. Sending people out to hospital if necessary. Since working at Laurel Center, I've learned ventilators, enteral tube feed administration, peritoneal dialysis, chest tubes, IV administration and wound vac therapy. Our unit manager is excellent and developed a cohesiveness on our unit. The hardest part of the job is to pronounce a resident's death. The most enjoyable part of the job is bringing comfort and a smile to residents.

The management and overall work environment at the laurel center is extremely toxic. They dont value their staff or treat them with respect, in fact they emotionally and mentally abuse them which is ironic considering. Staff is punished for slight mistakes or for bringing issues to management's attention but never rewarded for accomplishments even when going above and beyond. There is extreme segregation between the day and night staff and no effort is made to fix that. If you are looking for a place to help people in the community you need to look elsewhere as they are more interested in menial and unnecessary tasks then offering assistance to their clients and would rather toss them out then assist them in succeeding in life.

This is the only company I have worked with that did not have any HR policies or procedures. Due to this, when I requested more information or requested to have a meeting to speak with the managers to see where I could improve to earn more responsibility. Instead of being given that, I was immediately terminated after 90 days, though I was not even fully trained to work with clients until after 60 days. Being told I did not have the right personality for the company. The little bit I did learn is that everyone walked on glass worried that they would be terminated at any moment, as I was just one out of many.

Throughout the entire time I was there, I was not trained, nor was I allowed to truly complete tasks that were within my job title.

The nature of the work at The Laurel Center is hard, but any field where you are helping people when they need it the most is going to be hard. The level of training is excellent. Expectations are high, but nothing unexpected considering how important the work is. There is a decent level of autonomy allowed in each position, as long as the operational guidelines are adhered to. I've never been made to feel less-than for asking questions or seeking guidance. 

A typical day involved reviewing infection control reports, providing education to staff, dealing with employee health concerns, and developing programs designed to meet educational, QA, and infection control needs, and standards. This job required continual learning, especially in the area of infection control. My co-workers were hard-working and supportive. Management was direct, clear, and supportive. The most difficult part of the job was implementing changes in practice. The most enjoyable part of the job was providing educational and clinical support to staff.

I came to work at TLC because I wanted to help others but quickly found out they are not in the business of helping others at least not everyone! They do not provide ample care for those they bring in shelter , and they pick and choose whom they actually give help to. As an employee you can expect to be judged, this place is a toxic negative culture. Your needs are totally over! You are engulfed with a toxic negative work space , tho they are supposed to be empowering women they do the opposite for employees !  Your hard work and dedication will be completely over looked !!! Do yourself a favor and don’t even apply !!!

Worst place i ever worked. Lots of time understaffed so you were stuck doing all the wings yourself. Then they wondered why you couldn't get everything done. Management was terrible . No team work and they didn't care about their employees. They are really disrespectful. Pay and benefits are bad. No raises or bonuses.if you're sick and need some time off they don't care if you are sick. They expect you to work. Management treats you like you were nobody and she talks about you and the negative she feels with other employees behind your back. If the manager has a bad day you better believe everyone has a bad day.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Victim advocate 4 salaries reported	$46,150 per year
Domestic violence advocate 2 salaries reported	$62,150 per year
Therapist 3 salaries reported	$55,933 per year
Shelter aide 6 salaries reported	$18.10 per hour
Program coordinator 2 salaries reported	$64,650 per year

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