L'Arche Assistante Reviews

Pros

Laid back. Nice people. Good work environment

Cons

No Cons. Maybe long hours.

Pros

- Clients were super fun to work with - Pay was reasonable - Usually managers were pretty good with respecting work/life balance - Great supervisors

Cons

- Sometimes it was difficult to find people to help cover shifts, so your hours would increase or you would have to work a shift alone.

Pros

L’arche’s mission is a beautiful one. The organization isn’t perfect and there will be leadership/colleagues that are flawed, but the people who are being helped I think are overall in a better place than they would be had larche not existed.

Cons

I feel like this kind of industry often attracts personality types that tend to be somewhat controlling/anxious.

Pros

Good place to work. Super.

Cons

All homes are different. Make sure you do your research.

Pros

(Note: this is specific for the L'Arche Chicago community)L'Arche Chicago was a great step after college to meet others passionate about changing how we approach disability. It is more than a caregiving job, and more than just an "intentional community". It is real, hard, mundane at times, but in all these areas is focused on people: uplifting their gifts and coming alongside hardships (not in place of or in order to fix!). I had such a meaningful time in this community and learned so much about my self and biases. Pros: -Creative and kind coworkers, and transparent admin that made me feel welcome! -great benefits for an entry level job -admin pays great attention to rest, time off, and sustainably caring for employees -HR or staff development monthly and down to earth meetings -small organization so you never feel like a number -well connected nonprofit that truly cares about mission and individuals with IDD -Incredibly caring board, donors, and alum that are supporters of the mission -Fulfilling work and practical experience in Social Work, Medical care, ministry, justice, NGo or Nonprofit fields/areas

Cons

-Up close and personal, and can be a challenge for folks unfamiliar with realities of community with people who are different -pay isn't very high but I thought it was just fine coming out of college -Sometimes work life boundaries are difficult to maintain due to nature of work and challenge of sharing space with coworkers and adults with disabilities but admin knows that and takes good care of accompanying you in your live-in role! -non-traditional work hours compared to 9-5 can sometimes be hard if you have things on the weekends or weeknights

Pros

Family environment with the members.

Cons

The pay at the location could have been better.

Pros

Great community Amazing work Incredible life experience

Cons

Administration does not always make good decisions Pay is lacking for the work

Pros

- Generally, the community provides a spirit of welcome to visitors. - Staff/assistants are committed to the mission. - Core members are treated like family.

Cons

- Understaffed constantly. New assistants will work solo evenings frequently without support. This leads to high turnover. - No work/life balance: example- you will work 12pm-9pm, then be expected work an overnight where sleep is not guaranteed, and then from the overnight, work until 12pm. You've essentially been up for almost 24 hours. Many assistants show signs of sleep deprivation (moodiness, depression, slow reaction response) which lead to avoidable conflicts in community life. - 9 hour shifts: claims the extra hour is "for you to spend bonding in community" yet the culture at L'Arche PDX is very "no idle hands." - Linear management hierarchical structure: L'Arche's "fear" of having bosses causes many confusing moments in community. Relationships can feel strain because managers or "house responsibles" aren't in charge, yet they are. It felt very disorganized, and it was nearly impossible to work through grievances without feelings getting involved due to the "L'Arche Language" that has to be used with every discussion. - Inconsistent monthly pay: Monthly pay isn't on a set date- it varies. So it's really hard to plan your life financially while working at L'Arche. L'Arche also expects you to pay for things up front and get reimbursed, example: First Aid/CPR Certification, which can cost $100+. When you're only getting paid once a month, and you're not sure exactly when your next pay check is going to be in your hands, this can be very distressing.

Pros

Very nurturing and supporting environment to work

Cons

like many direct-services job, the pay isn't great

Pros

- Caring, considerate coworkers - Satisfying work, feels rewarding

Cons

- Sometimes feels overly bureaucratic - Variation in scheduling (unpredictable) - Long hours, repetitive