youth specialist

shift manager

care specialist

substance abuse counselor

activity specialist

Wedgwood Christian Services

Wedgwood Christian Services hired me as their Recovery Coach while I was doing my internship through GVSU's Master Social Work Program. Recently, I started meeting face-to-face with people in recovery. My job is awesome, as I get to set with them and help them create their own path into recovery. I help them find resources so they can maintain their clean and sober status. This helps them stay on the right path and it helps them reach their potential so their lives become better.

I am learning how difficult it is to find the right funding for people, based on their needs and assessments. The proper codes are essential to learn, so the agency and the social workers, coaches, etc. get paid. This just might be the hardest part of the job, because every insurance company, whether it is medicaid, or private pay all have their own documentation that needs to be properly submitted for payment.

I think the most enjoyable part of this job is the fun stuff the agency creates to get that real "family" feeling between employees, clients, and all staff members. I participated in a golf outing, (I never golfed before) and I had a wonderful  and fun-filled day.  I also, participated in a summer respite camp for clients and it was the perfect job. I was having fun learning all the clients names and shooting hoops, playing football, etc. was especially enjoyable. 

Working in a Christian lead environment, is also awesome. I can use prayer, ask for prayers when needed and talk about God without fear of being reprimanded. I feel, this is the most important piece of working at Wedgwood. I am a Christian and I can talk about it and not be ashamed of it.

WW is a social services company, and as such, they tell their clients and staff they care, yet their actual actions prove the opposite. They are merely concerned about money, and taking advantage of people to get their goals or needs met. I for one, was excited to work in a "Christian" environment, but after working there for a short while you realize that any company that gets funding through or by the government is truly no longer run with "Christian" ideals or views. WW has it's staff sign a faith statement yet I personally met so many staff who no nothing of Christianity nor what it truly means. WW should just remove the "Christian" from it's name, because it is no longer true. If you want to work in a facility where the leadership lies about its agenda, WW is the place for you. If you are on the Christian journey, avoid this place until they re-align with Jesus and God's plan!

At first I was really excited to work here. I’ve been at Wedgwood for a year now and it is not as good as I initially imagined it to be. I work 3rd shift and in my year of being there I have seen the supervisor once. I absolutely adore the kids I work with but management makes it extremely hard to enjoy working here. You will have your hours cut unexpectedly (after picking up maaany  hours due to other staff members quitting), LOTS of workplace drama, they do not care if you’re in school/have other priorities, will not find replacements when you’re working out of ratio, and do not seem to care about whether or not the kids have nice clothes/clothes that fit. It’s extremely disappointing how the staff and children are being treated by house supervisors and hopefully this problem will be resolved soon. As of today, I don’t recommend working here.

On a typical day as a counselor with up to 12 autistic clients a day consisted of alot of redirecting clients, learning multiple ways to communicate with clients, and having structure and planning for what the day will look like. I learned more about compassion and patience with this job than with any other. I learned that every child with autism has their own unique personality, learning pace, and ways of communication. I worked mostly with non-verbal autistic clients between the ages of 6 to 17. My coworkers and management had to always go back to the drawing board with each client, and made sure that each client were given the best care.

From the time I arrive at work I am working with teenager who live within this residential facility. Encouraging the young people to prepare for another day of school.  Responsible for monitoring clients behavior in school also advocate for the them to see that they are receiving a good education. The end of school is also the end of my shift.

I have learned how to really be a team member and leader for the organization. 

Management is supportive most of the time and my co-worker support me in the decisions I make pertaining to the well being of the clients.

Sometimes the job can become challenging due to clients negative behavior and acting out.  But it is always enjoyable when a youth can smile and display a sense of hope.

Typical day at work is very active. Bring your energy with you. You will be working with adolescents or younger and they are hungry for love and attention. These kids know if you care about them, so be sure it is something you want to do. The most enjoyable part of the job is to see the adolescents gain insight and begin to make good changes in their lives. We cannot undo all the past damage, and we cannot tear them down and make them all over again. So, we have to win their hearts. The job is more than just handing out groundings and punishing consequences. It is really about building relationships so that we can win their hearts.

Leadership change is alway hard. Major leadership shifts are VERY difficult. Since 2020 the organization has been growing better and better every day.  The freedom to manage your day without intrusive oversight is incredible. So long as you’re meeting clients and hit a minimum number you will never hear anything negative. If you are missing the mark leadership is very supportive and proactive about helping staff to succeed. 

If you happen to have a good home supervisor, which neither of mine were during the time I was there, you might like to work at Wedgwood. But having talked to people past, present staff included they don't really like the environment that Wedgwood is. Maybe part of it is simply the nature fo the job, but I did not enjoy the job. It was not the job I expected to be working and I wish I would have left sooner. If you go against the grain, ie you don't do things the institutional way or you speak up when things are unsafe for yourself as a staff member you will be looked at as a bad employee and sought after as someone who is trying to make trouble. I say being severely hurt on the job and sacrificing your own safety and values just isn't worth working there.

I love the work I do at Wedgwood! The Autism Center for Child Development provides 1:1 behavior therapy to children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Unfortunately, because my background is not in behavior analysis, there is little room for growth. However, it has been a great job to have throughout graduate school.  The supervisor(s) have been flexible/accommodating and supportive with changes in my schedule.

I enjoyed my time at Wedgwood as an intern clinical therapist.  Although I worked mostly in a residential placement setting, I was also able to branch out into some of the community programs and work with those clients as well.  The challenge of the experience was learning to connect with the clients in a therapeutic group setting.  However this was also the most rewarding at the same time. The culture of Wedgwood was very inviting and warm.  And there were countless opportunities for trainings in which I took advantage of while I was here.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Youth specialist 73 salaries reported	$21.49 per hour
Shift manager 14 salaries reported	$22.82 per hour
Care specialist 9 salaries reported	$21.67 per hour
Substance abuse counselor 31 salaries reported	$63,476 per year
Activity specialist 7 salaries reported	$22.71 per hour

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