case manager

security guard

administrative assistant

maintenance person

director of social services

Urban Pathways, Inc.

Urban Pathways/Amtrak Outreach was one of the best jobs I have had.  A typical day in Penn station consisted of Homeless outreach in the morning.  Afterward I would search for shelters and Detox/Rehab for potential clients.  I would also counsel clients and potential clients and let them know their options to help keep them off of the streets or falling back into bad habits.  

One of the major lessons I've learned working with the homeless and mentally ill was everyone has a story.  We, as a society, have a habit of judging the homeless and assuming they are in the predicament they are in because of bad choices and laziness.  This has been proven not to be true.  I have met former bankers, accountants, teachers, and army vets.  Many with degrees.  They have taught me that it is very possible for any one of us to become homeless and  addicts.  It doesn't take much.

The management at Urban Pathways were fair and supportive.  If I needed guidance or help on a project, management was right there to help with encouraging words.  This is the same for my coworkers. WE all supported one another and push one another to be the best case worker, case manager, and even supervisor.  

The hardest part of my job was keeping the clients focused on the end result.  The goal.  Many have been homeless for so long that they did not have faith in the system or any other human beings to help them.  They did not see the light at the end of the tunnel and assumed that being homeless was the last stop.

The most enjoyable part was proving my clients wrong.  Showing them that it was very possible to rejoin society.  I took great pleasure in finding placements for them or helping them through rehab.  Seeing the clients happy and adjusted was the most awarding aspect of being a Case Aide.

I wish I could tell all but I would take up 4 pages so I will provide a summary of a few things.  The program manager comes to work likes she auditioning for America's Top Model  and the the social service supervisor thinks she's the program manger!. Between the both of them there is a lack communication.  For example, the supervisor had a meeting with her staff  later on the program  manager had a meeting with the same staff and repeated the same thing the supervisor said earlier.  The supervisor said "I told them that already".  Things like this happened quite often.  Management talks down to staff  and uses bullying tactics. The case managers can't plan their day because of the everyday interruptions and dysfunctional antics from management. The culture there is unprofessional and has a low moral. It starts from the top.  Case Mangers are sent out into the field by themselves and management don't care if you get hurt or about your safety.  Their only concern is if you made the visit.  Management don't  REALLY care about the clients either, their only concern is did you write the notes for the clients, not  asking how is the client doing today? They don't pay for your car mileage and is always running out of Metro- cards but expect you to go out into the field almost everyday.  Also HR is no help either. You can send them an email and then turn around and have to call HR to see if they received your email.  Please don't leave them a message either because they will not call you back.  I don't not recommend this job to anyone. Seriously, this location needs to be shut down!

I worked for Urban Pathways in which is also called Travelers Hotel. Its for clients with mental illness and is a 36 bed unit, they also serve three hot meals a day, also have a sitting room in which clients can sit in and watch television from 6AM to 12AM daily. I would sit in the office and observe the camera system making sure everything was safe and secure. Also clients could come to me if they had any kind of problems, rather with other clients or co-workers and we would work out the situation, in which I would write it up at the end of my shift so the supervisor after me would know whats going on on his shift. My time at Urban Pathways was a plesant one I got along with my co-workers and the clients, even though they can be hard to deal with at times , but thanks to my patience and understanding I always got through my day. I have learned not to judge a person by just looking at the situation they are in because you don't know what they have been through to get there. I love to help a person which ever way I can because I never know when I'm gonna need someone's help.

A lot of bias and favoritism going on at this agency. Many complaints I and others I know that were submitted into HR went no where. Upper mgt has their favorites A toxic and hostile work environment more so due to the agency staff and upper mgt  and not due to the clients they serve. The "positive" reviews I and others have noticed seem to be made up and those that put the agency in a bad light seem to be flagged down to hide the truth from those looking to work for them. Im writing this from experience and this is my opinion take it as you will but you have nothing to lose by doing your homework on them first. Believe me it will save you frustration and aggravation to know that they only care about themselves and not for those on the from lines doing all the work. If this gets removed then you know they are hiding the truth. Bias, favoritism, Hostile Toxic work environment. Google the agency. Ask around.

Working here is not conducive to my overall wellness. The environment is not supportive. Management does not value their employees and they set you up for failure. They do not train their workers properly and fault them for not performing their job duties to the best of their ability. It feels like a cult and the directors are running the show. No autonomy is given here. There are no clear-cut policies/protocol on how things are supposed to be completed accurately. Management is all about favoritism. If they do not like you, they will target you and make it uncomfortable for you until you either get fired or quit. This agency does not operate on moral standards and it feels like high school. Management gossips about staff in front of them. This is a toxic work environment and it’s extremely mentally and emotionally draining.

A typical day at Urban Pathways starts out good however due to no structure by management my day is complicated. Due to new management that is forever changing their seems to be a lack of staff consistency. I learned to be self-sufficient due to not being trained properly on my job expectations. There need to be a system in place that shows structure. I don't feel Urban Pathways genuinely care for their staff or consumers. The hardest part of my job is dealing with management because when we have issues with our consumers their is no support. The most enjoyable aspect of my job is seeing my co-workers. It helps to pass the time. The most positive thing that I can say about Urban Pathways is the mission they have however it doesn't seem to transfer to the different programs that they may have.

Each day my work is often different from the next. I am a problem solver who assists program staff with best practices. I review clinical charts as well as identify issues of concern. I spend a large amount of time developing training curriculum as well as conducting trainings. I have also promoted a wellness and recovery based model for case management and clinical intervention. The hardest part of the job is being pulled in many directions and trying to fulfill numerous demands. The most enjoyable part of my job is conducting trainings, mentoring and working with consumers.

The work that Urban Pathways does on its face is worthwhile. However the organization is a ish-show. Major lack of support. No ones know what they are doing, they don't support their staff, every thing is sooo poorly managed in every department its a wonder how the still continue to exist. I worked in the Development department and would recommend no one should join that team with who currently heads the department. the salary while seemingly decent doesnt make up for the fact 1 person no matter how much they pay you can do the work of  3-4 people in a "40" hour week. 

if you are a security officer like me, and work in this organization or would like to work in this organization, there is little to no room for advancement unless you are getting a degree in human services. Management is terrible and does not really care about the employees or their safety they are all about their funding and their numbers. The plus side is I did learn a lot in my position and they do offer benefits like health insurance, profit sharing and paid sickdays and vacation. but be warned they pay a little above the minimum and it sometimes does not seem like it is  worth the headache for the money

If you ever wondered about slavery work here!!! You will be overworked and under payed. You will be told during your interview that they will give you a certain amount and then they will not pay you that in fact it will be significantly less. You will be be hired for one job but will be given many responsibilities. The supervisors are not required to work they just paper shuffle and work your nerves because you are actually doing their job.You are not safe during the work day but don't worry if something happens they will make sure to sweep it under the rug. Also you will be talked down to like you are a child no matter your age.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Case manager 38 salaries reported	$28.11 per hour
Security guard 25 salaries reported	$19.70 per hour
Administrative assistant 15 salaries reported	$19.24 per hour
Maintenance person 15 salaries reported	$18.39 per hour
Director of social services 14 salaries reported	$77,863 per year

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