domestic violence advocate

shelter advocate

preschool teacher

case manager

specialist

YWCA

A typical day at the YWCA of the Upper Lowlands, Inc. busy. 
I learned a board range of sexual assault and domestic violence preventions. Responded to victims of violence and their family members. Conducted interviews with clients, administer assessment questionnaires. Provided training to individuals at risk for child abuse, child neglect, parent skills and maltreatment. Give information/explains the YWCA assault and prevention program services, requirement, policies and procedures: and obtains pertinent biopsychosocial history and other serious information to be incorporated in the file as background information for planning services needed. Conducted and document interviews and evaluates the relevance of information collected from the client to determine the problem. Make a tentative conclusion for appropriate referral sources; prepares case folders, and incorporate notes and appropriate forms in the folders. Maintain confidential files on clients in the sexual and domestic program. Provided basic counseling service to clients and enter client data and related information into the assault database. Participate with the Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence committee in developing and implementing outreach/prevention resources and referrals, and treatment programs for individuals, families, and groups needing assistance with family problems and issues. Planned support activities for groups. Obtained, complied, maintained and prepares a variety of reports utilizing several forms of data for the program. Monitored/tracked program evaluation and ensure compliance with sexual assault standards of care for victims in sexual assault and domestic violence situations. Planned, designed, and monitored programs to meet the social/culture needs of prevention, creating curriculum guidelines in accordance with regulations and policies. Tracked training requirements within their designated area of responsibilities to include the victim advocates and theirs community. Maintained an up-to-date database on trained victim advocates volunteers and community resources and services. Represented and serviced as an advocate for victims and their families in obtaining services and support for needs and programs. Provided follow-up; legal advocacy and information to assist survivors of sexual assault. Provided direct psychotherapeutic services for adults, adolescents and children patients on a, emergency or walk-in basis. Provided individual counseling and group therapy; parent advocacy counseling; coping skill development; stress management; intervention support groups and crisis intervention. Developed and provided standard packet of information and hospital support to assist each victim. 
The co-workers were very caring and concern about the clients and were a team player.  The hardest part of the job were getting victims of domestic violence to seek help or completed an incident report or press charges.  The most enjoyable part of the job is conducting prevention sessions to all the schools age students and college students. Justing knowing that you are making a different in someone life is a enjoyable day for me.

YWCA Sillicon Valley is and exceptional organization. The Sexual Assault Counseling Department (RCC) strives to prevent sexual assault and educate the public, while constantly taking on new clients and assisting them through one of the most difficult times in their lives. The YWCA is truely a catalyst for change in the community. A typical shift may include numerous crisis calls. I can expect to hear various stories about sexual assault and must continue to remain objective and counsel the client. This includes giving them resources such as; continued in-person counseling, legal aid, housing, etc. Often I will be called out to Valley Medical Center in which I will accompany the client during their SART exam. This means providing emotioal support and resources, while also being present during the police interview, and the nurse's interview and exam. The process can sometimes take several hours, and I will not get home until the early hours of the morning. This is one of the most difficult parts of the job, as I do have another full time job that requires me to be there at 8:00am. I also conduct follow-up calls with every client, whether I counseled them on the hotline, or at the hospital. Every client interation requires accurate records. It is necessary to complete a data collection form for every client interation, and complete consent forms for accompanying clients to VMC. This position is very difficult in that I hear very dark and disturbing stories. I am with my clients during a time that most people will never have experience with. It can be emotionally taxing at times, especially when it is impossible to help every client. Further, many of my clients are homeless, impoverished, victims of domestic violence, or have a problem substance abuse. The sexual assault that they experienced is oftern far from their only hurtle in life. However, this job is extremely rewarding. I am with my clients when they have no one else and they thank me graciously. There is nothing like feeling like you have really helped someone through one of the most difficult experiences they will ever have.

The day-to-day work at the YWCA is fairly straightforward, and the staff are incredibly committed to supporting the people we serve. However, management often feels disconnected from both the challenges staff face and the real needs of the community. This disconnect affects not only the clients but also the support that the staff should be able to rely on. 

The CEO frequently emphasizes aesthetics, prioritizing how the office looks over the quality of programming and services we offer. This focus can feel disheartening, especially when staff are seeking guidance or feedback that would help us serve the community better. Unfortunately, feedback from staff is often met with defensiveness rather than understanding. The COO, in particular, tends to be passive-aggressive—expressing initial support for staff concerns, only to downplay or dismiss them later, creating an environment that feels manipulative rather than supportive.

Despite being in a nonprofit setting, where resources are indeed limited, management often places more responsibilities on staff without adjusting compensation or titles, citing budget constraints. Yet, these constraints don’t seem to prevent the purchase of costly equipment, like the 200 MacBooks bought last year that are still unused. 

More troubling is the lack of transparency with funders, donors, and even the board regarding the services provided. This approach undermines staff efforts and makes it difficult to meet the expectations of the community we aim to support.

Finally, recent staffing changes raise concerns about inclusivity and fairness. Over the last 18 months, all individuals who have been let go or asked to leave have been people of color. This trend is particularly unsettling in an environment that claims to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

In the end, management practices at the YWCA sometimes mirror the very dynamics we work to address with clients. It's difficult to maintain morale in an environment where staff empowerment is encouraged in theory, yet not fully supported in practice. There’s a significant opportunity for leadership to listen, connect, and build an environment that truly embodies the YWCA’s mission.

I arrived at 7:30 am. The lab was open to students from 8:00 am until 4:00 PM on a free-flow basis. We did not have students on Friday. Instruction in basic math including simple algebra and geometry and reading was on a one-to-one basis. In addition to instructing individual students at my desk between student contacts I maintained customer files, updated the spreadsheet that I had created for demographic data and students TABE test results and progress. I also scheduled up to a 120 students for their GED tests at out testing sites. I checked them in before each of the six testing sessions. I introduced a 'walk-in' policy permitting non-schooled students to take the place of 'no-shows' after I verified their eligibility to take the appropriate GED tests.
I had a very good relationship with the lab manager/director. She was very receptive to my suggestions for improving service to thee students.
I was very happy with the YWCA organization and proud to be associated with it.
Two co-workers and I were situated within arms reach of each other and thus were able to serve multiple students who could be served by any of us. We served an average of about 60 students each day ranging from 40 to over 100.
The hardest part of the job was the unscheduled free-flow of users of the lab. There could be a handful of students at one time and a full lab of over 30 students at other.
The most enjoyable part of the job was the 'aha' moment when the student realized that they could understand or accomplish something that they feared they never could. 
In 2014 we moved to a new facility that resulted in us, the three co-workers, being physically separated in distinct areas. Thus we were not able to takeover from each other as the students needs demanded. In addition the 2014 GED proved to be virtually unobtainable for our students. A new manager was hired and many changes were put in place in an attempt to adjust to the new test. None were effective.
Additional duties were added for me to do simultaneously with instructing the students and completed the increasingly complex administrative functions and record keeping The new manager became unsatisfied with my inability to keep up with the new demands and I ws let go.

At the "Y" they help families by providing necessary resources, items, discounted child care etc. They care givers/teachers are there to equip the children with the tools they'll need for mental, emotional/social, behavioral, and physical growth. I have learned a lot in my time at the YWCA, some good, others not so good. Management and "Legal" as my supervisor likes to call it, demand A LOT from the teachers, paperwork, screenings, visiting the homes of the students, health checks, lesson planning, files that are up to date, brushing the children's teeth, cleaning the rooms, sanitizing the room, toys, and washing the bed linens, monitoring parents as they sign their child in and out for the day to make sure that their time matches with the scanned time on the computer (which runs slow and sometimes has no wi-fi signal). On top of that...yes you have to teach your children, classroom activities, one person on the floor at all times with the children, one person up, changing diapers, washing hands after EVERY change of activity or diaper change or meal or outside time or when they wipe their noses, or if they slob, or if they put their hands in their mouths...Most of this is common sense, no complaints, but when you are being watched by your supervisor who instead of coming into your classroom to observe or help or ask how things could be made a little easier, she watches you via camera and calls to ask why the child just stood up in the chair or the children need to stop running, or you've been sitting in the spot too long, or I the time sheets don't match up, or the meal count sheet is wrong and needs to be redone...WHEN IS ALL OF THIS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!!?? With that being said, expect to WORK, WORK, WORK, WORK for the pay that you are offered...sometimes doing the work of others...and this is all expected in a room with combined infants from 6 weeks to active 2 year old children. Needless to say, my experience has not been all that great, and I would recommend doing the research on this company before accepting a offer...I FAILED to do so.

I was with the Y for one year exactly. Unfortunately my position across the association was eliminated because of budgeting concerns due to the Coronavirus. However, during my time with the Y as a Membership Director, I was challenged, met dozens of very friendly staff and hundreds of members. I was one of the folks who actually enjoyed all of the trainings they provide, such as Intro to Leading Others, Intro to Listen First, etc. because it was an opportunity to network with others in similar positions around your geographic location, hear new perspectives and dive deep into how to be customer-centric, welcoming and really just be your best self. However, some colleagues saw these trainings as a waste of time. I think if you have a good attitude going into the trainings, then you will get the most out of them. If you get the chance to participate in Principles and Practices (if they still hold these trainings post-coronavirus) I HIGHLY recommend you attend- both for the experience and the knowledge. 
 Although I was salaried and could try to balance longer days with shorter ones, work hours were definitely more than 40/week. However, the colleagues I supervised, my directors and my supervisor were absolutely enjoyable to be around and I learned very valuable career lessons every day. I think your management team and colleagues can make or break your experience with the Y. Sometimes there is a lack of action to resolve problems, but if you have a supervisor who can see the big picture, be empathetic, professional, and see the best in you, then working with the Y is an absolutely invaluable experience and will prepare you to communicate well with others in your work and personal life. 

This job was a "dream job" that I wanted to invest my time in. I believe in the core values of the YWCA itself (empowering women and eliminating racism). When I got the job (and I was paid upon my education level and experience- fairly) there was a profound lack of cohesion and professionalism (despite all of the employees hired having BA or BS degrees in the field most conducive to this community). The expectation of what one can do and what is reasonable (such as cleaning several apartments by oneself while others do not do their share of the work) is completely unbalanced. 

The other red flag when I began working at this facility was the inability to keep employees, once I became of aware of the exclusionary group of people who picked on people and fired them because they did not like them (all the while favoring others and allowing them to not work or come in late on shifts- while penalizing other staff who do the same). This type of inappropriate behavior was noticed the first month I worked (3 employees were hired on and quit at the same time I left. One lady left after two days of shelter training). Please understand I worked with very hard workers who were trained improperly and then were fired because they did not do the job well??? This was truly contributory to the clique who run the YWCA shelter.

I am not a disgruntled worker I am a behooved worker; it saddens me that people who run a company who want women to succeed would not follow the basic premise of the Mission Statement for the YWCA. I appreciate the educational component of my training, as it will contribute to my practice, however, the personalities who run the YWCA will gang up and bully individuals until they cannot work there any longer. While I can go into the gruesome details, I will not as it is bad character. Hopefully, someone will notice and hopefully remove the current management (and some counselors) who are doing the terrorizing, and will take action. 

Signed, one of many

Worked at YWCA in Buffalo, NY.  

Staff is very untrained.  Teacher position requires teachers to be degreed.  But teacher aides are playing the roles of teachers.  

Toys are very un educational.  In one room the toys are dirty, old, missing pieces, or broken.  

Ant infestation in toddler room, mouse was seen.  

Worker pushed toddler in chair, toddler teared up.  The same worker yelled at another preschooler when he touched the infant toys, not knowing he could not play with them.  The child got scared and started crying.  

Workers seem to care about who has the most decorated door.

Breakfast, and snack menus are misleading.  The children were only served lunch.

Children eat bran cereal, instead if cereal geared for children.

Vent in gym left hanging without regards to children's safety.

Director and assistant director let workers mingle out in the hallway for hours past their break time.

Rooms left out of ratio.  Director and assistant director knew about this and failed numerous times to send someone in.  Staff member told teacher "if we can't find anyone to come in your room when your out of ratio, then there's nothing we can do about it".  This is a violation.  It's called a ratio for a reason.

Staff seem very uneducated.  Lesson plans are seldom planned.

It was reported that a worker used the same changing paper and gloves to change the toddlers.  Assistant director did not seem upset about this.

Parent was upset over the fact her daughter came home in a very dirty diaper.

Staff caught posting on Facebook during the day when children aren't napping.

Worker was verbally abused.  

Director called worker a cruel name to another staff member.

Assistant director told a student "Get up and walk, and if you don't, I don't have no problem dragging you."  This was said in a serious voice.  

Worker made fun of child's  face while others laughed.

Worker was caught resting with eyes closed in gym.

For a small organization, the YWCA of Greater Miami, gives their employees what they are able to provide for the workers.  The organization has the potential to expand and become one of Miami-Dade County' premier non-profit institutions.  At the time I worked for YWCA, their strength was the unity among staff and administration.  They took into consideration the importance of recognizing the workers.  They celebrated special events and holidays as a unit and at center level.  They took time to applaud the good work of the employees, and let the community know how the staff had contributed to betterment of the organization,
The harder part of the job was to understand that there was not much growth within the organization and that an employee could not get an increase in salary because there was no room for growth. The YWCA mission of Eliminating Racism Empowering Women is a great challenge in our community and it is an uphill battle considering the diversity of our county.  There is true melting pot with a variety of customs and traditions brought in with every citizen/resident blending with the already groups that have live in Miami-Dade County for two to three generations.
The most enjoyable part of working for the YWCA is serving the communities and being able to help others help themselves.
this is an organization that needs help from the local, state, federal government and the local businesses to expand and reach out the entire county.

A typical day starts at 8. The amount of paperwork required and the amount of information they expect you to upload in their app for parents is hard to keep up with on top of a full class. You will always have max ratios even on days you have absent children. Staff absences are a huge issue bc children are not removed from the classroom when they’re sick. You’re expected to keep them in the full class with you until someone can pick them up. At the end of the day you’re expected to do all custodial cleaning in your class bc there is no cleaning crew. You must be clocked out by 5pm. No overtime is approved. So if your tasks for the day aren’t complete, expect to hear about it and how you’re expected to get it done but clock out at 5 regardless. Expect attitude and push back from admin if you’re overwhelmed or feel you are given too much. You are expected to make massive changes at the drop of a hat without any preparation or warning. Also, a weekly meeting can be called whichever day of the week they like without much warning (like 45 minutes) and you are required to stay. These meetings normally last 45 minutes minimum. As a preschool teacher, expect to feel like you’re on call. This is non negotiable for their administration 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Domestic violence advocate 8 salaries reported	$20.36 per hour
Shelter advocate 22 salaries reported	$21.26 per hour
Preschool teacher 13 salaries reported	$19.42 per hour
Case manager 19 salaries reported	$21.95 per hour
Specialist 2 salaries reported	$17.50 per hour

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