early childhood teacher

daycare teacher

swim instructor

lifeguard

coordinator

YMCA

A typical day at work would be say hello to the team and see how everyone else is going and see what has happened before I came in.

Check emails, sort through paperwork and comile a list of immediate jobs that need attending to. Set goals for the day. At the end of the day go through the list and evaluate what I have achieved.

Working at the YMCA I learned the importance of team work. Working together as a team not only makes the job more enjoyable, but also creates a more efficient work environment enabling the team team to achieve the best outcome for the business.

Manangement at the Y is very supportive to all employees at all levels. All managers have an open door policy and are all very approachable. They are always available to help out and provide direction and support.

People choose to work at the Y because they are passionate about the companies values and the culture it presents. It is not the place to work if you want to 'get rich quick'. Working with people who love what they do creates a vibrant, proactive environment which rubs off onto the the customers who also come along to experience the fun energetic environment.

The Hardest part of the job was probably the multi tasking required. Working in accounting, I was also required to perform the role of Duty Manager on occassions. This may have involved on certain days juggling between processing payroll, serving customers, covering lifeguards breaks and performing month end. Challenging, but also rewarding. The variety keeps the head clear and certainly makes the day go fast!

The culture and team spirit and the energy of the people that worked their was my greatest enjoyment about the job. The customers / members that I have developed friendships with over the years - I still see today for a coffee to catch up. A great place to work and a place to be involved in.

Overall I had a good experience at The Y. However this was because of two reasons, I love my job teaching summer camps and my fellow instructors were an amazing group of people to work alongside. However there were a lot of problems from the management, poor communication, unfair treatment of staff/bullying, biased desicions based on personal opinions of staff, issues of inappropriate language from management and a general lack of care for the people working for them. Without the passion and enthusiasm of the instructors this place would be awful, dreadfully managed and underfunded. Contracts are for 8 hours per week and if they are not busy they don't allow more hours on maintenence etc. I was told during my interview it'd be unlikely I'd only get 8 hours per week, that there would be more hours available. I had some weeks when I felt so stressed I nearly handed in my notice. It is an incredible shame that the people running this place have no passion for educating young people or for supporting and upskilling their staff. It was a slap in the face after putting in everything you had to enhance the camp programs to get a cheers thanks and then to be told you weren't needed next week. I loved my job here, because i love being an instructor and my colleagues were amazing people. But I would never return to work for the 2 individuals running the place at present as they are the least professionaland helpful managment ive ever had the displeasure to work for. I'd also be wary of signing an 8hr contract again. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
The hours are always good. It’s a minimum of three hours in afternoons and two in the morning. Vacation care was a minimum of three hours, but usually went longer if you’re available for longer.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The company saw you as a number. If you were in a position where you were a Responsible Person, you were basically used. Your day off did not matter if they needed you to fulfil the role of RP for the day. You also take on a lot of the blame if abutting goes wrong, even if you’re not working that shift. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It was friendly at times, but generally cliques would form and the only way to move up in the company was to befriend your coordinator.
Coordinators did not care about the safety of their staff and would put staff in areas they were not comfortable with, unless you were a favoured staff member.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Shift start 6:45, provide breakfast for the children and supervise until 8:30 when they’d get signed out. Spend half an hour getting things ready for the afternoon.

Second shift 2:00, set up until 3 and the provide afternoon tea and supervise children. Pack up areas around 5 and get children ready to go home. Close at 6 if parents pick up on time.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Rewarding working with the young people

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Shocking higher management that don't care enough about residents and staff. I am aware that some senior staff have now left, so this may now be different.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The peers you work with are mostly fantastic, the management system was highly corrupt. The admin systems wouldnt ley me log in for months and every shift this was was reported and never fixed, it was also never questioned why work wasn't ever completed by me (because I couldnt!)

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
If left to do job with the every day staff it was great. YMCA often used lots of agency staff who often had no idea what to do or how to handle a difficult situation.
I was left to work on my own with care leavers in my 1st week, with no training or without my DBS check coming back to them.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Has fabulous programs and overall processes- unfortunately my experience just wasn’t as fantastic 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
External people being brought in to support and this completely turning to them wanting existing roles and exiting fantastic managers who had made a positive impact to the culture and outcomes of programs

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Wasn’t great, through change and innovation and inclusion improved, external (other states) came in and reversed this - so returned to not great and decreased outcomes and reputation of organisation 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Extremely busy, however had meaningful outcomes for the communities and clients - hopefully is like that again

Worked with Martu Aboriginal Youth who where secondary homeless and often neglected and malnourished. 

Created program's and activities for after school hours for ages 10-19 which included sport, art, health programs and cultural activities.

Woke, drove and fed twelve high school youth to school every day along with lunches and provided shoes/socks etc. 

As part of there cultural studies we engaged in hunting trips and bush camping, sometimes for days.

Engaged the youth of Newman in sports such as football, softball, soccer and also arts including music making and community painting.

Most amazing two years involved with the YMCA and very appreciative of the experience.

Now back from Australia hoping to work with youth, the community and also possibly returning to dental practices as well as admin and reception duties.

Nicola Durkan

Very fast paced environment at the service. Every service is different which I found refreshing as every centre's environment is set up differently aesthetically and visually based on children's interests.

Team of staff that I worked with at various YMCA services were very collaborative, engaging and creative who were very happy to share their knowledge and experience. 

I gained more self confidence in dealing with the administration side of things and delegating tasks to other staff and and building relationships.

I thoroughly enjoyed Vacation Care as staff would share new places and activities for the children to participate in, families and children also collaborated with these ideas.

I have had a really positive experience as an APW. My management have been very supportive and I have worked in three jobs from reception to APW to relief PW.
It can go from 0 - 60 depending on the needs and actions of the young people and the training given isn't enough to make you feel at all prepared for all situations. I have learnt a lot from this job however I do feel like it often comes down to who you work with as some of mg colleagues I find have questionable opinions which makes shift work with them tiresome l. YMCA are very flexible with rota, however you may not finish on time, depending on what happens on shift.

I am quite new to the work force, I have been a youth worker trainee for only a month, it is hard for me to be given an opportunity considering my lack of work experience. All I have is commitment and dedication to improve my life style and start developing a career. I do one day hope I can start work and really prove myself as I know I will be a great asset to any company because I am reliable, responsible, good problem solver, punctual and a quick learner.

The team I have previously worked within was a good and trust worthy team that has shown great leadership to me. My most exciting part of the day would have to be, being able to work independently and showing my skills I have learnt so far.

Since I have worked at YMCA I have enjoy it, Educators have been helping me learn the new rules and polices as this centre is completely different to my last centre. Learnt the different way on how they run the centre, as well as the different paper work. Management has been great and understanding, Ive been able to go into the office to ask questions and they have been helpful. Hardest part of the job is still not knowing all the policies where at my last centre I knew all of them basically off by heart but I know it will just take time. Enjoyable part is Staff are great and friendly as well as being very multicultural which I love, the families have been great to get to know.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Early childhood teacher 53 salaries reported	$37.48 per hour
Daycare teacher 34 salaries reported	$35.33 per hour
Swim instructor 19 salaries reported	$33.82 per hour
Lifeguard 6 salaries reported	$31.30 per hour
Coordinator 12 salaries reported	$36.21 per hour

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