fitness instructor

camp counselor

instructor

preschool teacher

welcome center representative

YMCA of Greater Boston

The YMCA has incredible values, including the YGB. They serve a huge number of families in the community and do a lot of very impactful work. That being said, this was one of the worst professional experiences I have ever had. I was left alone, responsible for multiple sites with no support and only 12 hours of online training. I came into the role with a decade of experience and a lot of knowledge in my field but this was like nothing I had ever contended with. Their leadership team is on a constant revolving door, they underpay and overwork nearly all of their employees. There are equivalent roles being paid 10k more a year than what the Y is offering, but their top paid employees make well into the 6 figure range. Their infrastructure is crumbling, most programs take place in dilapidated buildings with little to no investment in quality program supplies or materials. EEC ratios are often not met and directors are left alone with large groups of kids, even after reporting issues to senior leadership. In my 6 months with the company I saw countless employees come onboard just to quit a few weeks later upon realizing just how draining the working conditions are. We received little to no extra resources for children who would be enrolled in the program with severe disabilities, who would then subsequently struggle their entire time there because they did not have the supports they needed. It is one thing to be challenged at work but it is another to be set up for failure and that is what it felt like. Day after day I came in with a positive attitude and tried to do my best to make a difference but after only half a year I was so burnt out that it became clear I needed to move on. I was able to find a job in the area making considerably more than I was making with the Y. I would strongly advise avoiding this employer if you are able. 

This has probably been the MOST fun, fulfilling, and non-monotonous job I've ever worked. Walking inside, you're instantly greeted by an amazing team and even better community of members who are all kind, caring, and passionate about seeing you succeed. Plus there's always new programs being added to the roster which makes the whole experience of coming here, both to work and workout, that much more exciting.

I will say that as a personal trainer, rarely does working ever really feel like work. Sure I'm creating in-depth programs, tracking progress, and referring to other professionals when faced with a problem outside of my scope of practice, but for the most part, it really does feel like I'm  just hanging out with a friend, which makes the work day go by so much quicker! But the true magic comes from seeing people progress overtime in ways they may have never imagined. Whether it's an elderly client re-gaining the ability to lift something over their head or a young teen developing a healthy relationship to exercise, one of my favorite aspects of the YMCA is simply how diverse its populous is. We've got all age groups from all walks of life. This also means that while working here, I've heard some amazing life stories.

Overall, working for the YMCA really does make me feel like I'm having an impact on so many lives. I genuinely get excited to head to "work". I'd say it's a fantastic place to work, either as a first job, or a full career. There's dozens and dozens of different positions and lots of opportunity to grow. 

The YMCA is a great place to work. The work is challenging but meaningul. Creativity is encouraged and managers are given leeway to be creative with their limited resources to do the impactful work of the Y.

The best part of working for the Y are the people. Tribelike "Y people" are (mostly) cause driven, caring individuals who genuinely want to make a positive difference to their community and change peoples lives for the better rather than be motivated by sales revenue.

While there are goals to be met and managers to appease, working with people and families everyday makes it worth it.

Being a program director, you are given the authority and trust to do what you think is best for the program. On the flip side, you are held accountable if it fails or falters, and this means that you often end up working lots of extra hours to guarantee its success.

"I`ll make this work if it kills me" sums it up pretty well and it can be difficult to unplug as a program director.

Overall great place to work, if you care enough!

I learned a great deal from the people I worked with. Having the support of my colleagues was one of the best parts about my employment with the YMCA of Greater Boston. The YMCA had great progressional development and learning opportunities for all staff. 

During my employment I was abel to grow has a manager and develop stronger interpersonal skills, problem solving skills, decisions making skills and so much more. 

The most difficult part of the job was the work life balance. There were many times I needed to work well past the eight hours a day. Although I enjoyed what I was doing sometimes it was a detriment to my personal life, which many of us need in order to be the best we can be in any career. 

The most enjoyable part of my job was being able to work the with students. I loved being able to connect with them, help them with their school work and just be their someone to talk to.

There were an even mix of pros and cons with the position I held this summer. But that being said , there weren’t enough staff for the amount of kids and an lack of discipline made it more than not an environment I didn’t like. Also should not have taken a month to be onboarded, paid , and be able to time card. I would cautiously recommend this position to just know the fact of there will be times it’s very busy, and times with a lull and overall it just depends on the age group of kids you’re working with.

What is the best part of working at the company?
It is a nice place to work. I appreciate the diversity of its members and their eagerness to engage in group exercise classes. My favorite perk from the job is free membership to the Y.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Not having some one cover for me when I am out on vacation.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It is pretty relax and friendly.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
It is easy going time teaching and cleaning up,after myself .

The YMCA of Greater Boston's mission is to dedicate to improving the health of mind, body and spirit of individuals and families in our communities. We welcome men and women, boys and girls of all incomes, faiths and cultures.

Though I am currently in a remote facility, I still feel very much part of the YMCA team.  The main office staff is always willing to assist, share ideas, and make sure I am in touch with what is happening.

Although a rewarding place to work with a great mission for the community, management is unable to provide employees with support.  Although there are multiple managers for each section, part time workers are the face and backbone of the Y. This ended up with everyone overworked and burntout and administrators did not help. Very little opportunity for promotion as all administration has been all hired from the outside, we have an extremely diverse member base but administrators are all white, and there are only 1/2 women administrators. 

Great if you are young and need a summer job. However, not for seasoned professionals, upper management needs training on good business practices. Should listen to those working with the families/children to understand how to run branches, after-school programs, etc.  Also marketing looks good but do not care about the kids and the mostly families of color. YMCA of Boston Management needs so much training, bad business decisions
on a regular basis.  Not enough time is given to get initiatives completed, work is always rushed.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The salary, benefits and some of the kids, families and playground.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Management, some of the kids and parents.  Not enough certified staff.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It's OK.  Like a daycare, babysitting service, camp and not like a quality childcare center at all.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Chaos, inconsistency, very unorganized place.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Fitness instructor 147 salaries reported	$34.64 per hour
Camp counselor 154 salaries reported	$18.92 per hour
Instructor 62 salaries reported	$21.02 per hour
Preschool teacher 106 salaries reported	$25.17 per hour
Welcome center representative 54 salaries reported	$16.98 per hour

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