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The Key Program

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The Key Program reviews about "management"

40% positive business outlook

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18 reviews
1.0
Aug 19, 2019

Worst job ever

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Nothing , suck, don't do it

Cons

Horrible management, of you want your mental health to get messed up, you go and work there. All I gonna say

1.0
Aug 5, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

There are no pros to working here. You are overworked and underpaid. The clients are the only pro to the job

Cons

Must use personal vehicle for work no respect from upper management no consideration for your personal life when scheduled understaffed and overworked

avatar
The Key Program Response
4y
Thank you for taking the time to comment on your experience at the Key Program. Key offers a very competitive wage in regard to other local human service agencies; and we prominently display our hourly wage or salary in every job posting so job seekers are aware of the wage/salary that is offered before applying. Key's leadership continuously advocates for increased wages/salaries for all human service workers in Massachusetts who do this demanding and challenging work that on the flipside is also critically important and significantly meaningful as a career choice. Key's direct care positions are time limited to 18 months in duration. Within this set amount of time, Key provides an intensive learning opportunity for staff to explore the field of human services and to begin to learn the skills and educational requirements that are needed to pursue a human service-related career. Key is a stepping stone in the human service field. Direct care staff can be promoted within Key into supervisory or clinical roles or they may take the experience and skills they have received at Key and move on to pursue other human service related jobs such as teachers, police officers, guidance counselors, probation officers, school adjustment counselors, etc. We also note in our job postings, and review in interviews, that our staff must have a personal vehicle that is legally registered and insured, for work use. When using a personal vehicle for work use, the staff maintain a mileage log and upon submitting it each month, they are reimbursed .40 cents per mile. The extend of our staff required driving may be to pick up or drop off a child/youth at school, bring them to and from a medical appointment, run an errand to a grocery/department store or pharmacy, or to bring the children/youth to a local place in the community for a recreational activity. As an additional benefit, Key offers a discounted annual AAA membership to all staff. We understand that not everyone is up to the challenges and demands of a human service job; however, we do wish you the best in your future endeavors.
2.0
Aug 31, 2022

Support is needed

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The relationship with the DCF workers, some benefits.

Cons

Higher management isn't supportive. Even if you say something, they don't take you seriously.

3.0
Jul 29, 2022
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good pay, rewarding job, plenty of overtime.

Cons

Too much over time, inconsistent scheduling, inconsistent management.

5.0
Jun 3, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

No stress and good management

Cons

Can't sleep on the job

avatar
The Key Program Response
4y
Thank you for your review and for doing this incredibly important job. Do you realize what a difference you are making to these children/youth? Unfortunately, in their short lives, many children and youth we serve have experienced multiple traumas and night time and bedtime can be difficult for them. Our shiftworkers provide the safety and security our kids need to be able to go to bed at night and sleep peacefully. Sleep is critical to their health, and to their success in school, to be able to manage their behavior, to appropriately socialize with others, etc. So, a huge THANK YOU to you and to all the 3rd shift workers out there!
4.0
Sep 30, 2021

Working at key

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

If you're looking for a job to gain social work experience, this is a definite stepping stone -Opportunity to hone in on skills such as creativity, cooking, public speaking as you work with young individuals who you will be doing life skills with. -Always room for overtime and ability to pick up shifts -No two days are the same --Job is high intensity so if you're shy, there's no room for that. Shyness will go out the window after a while. (building character)

Cons

-management plays favoritism -Inability to leave on time for most shifts. Shifts are 7-3(sometimes 7-7/9), 3-11, 11-7.

2.0
Aug 12, 2021

Too demanding and not enough pay or appreciation

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good entry level job- Great for young adults right out of college to gain experience

Cons

Not enough pay for the amount of work put in. You have to complete daily paperwork, clean the house, wash dishes, cook everyday as well as watch several at- risk children with behavioral issues and make sure they do not harm themselves or others... which they do often. Clinicians do not listen to your advice even though you spent more time with the children than they do. Supervisors leave you alone with more than 4 children at once and the children pose a high danger to themselves and others, including staff. The benefits are weak and if you take a vacation supervisors rush you back and threaten to take action against you if you take sick days. They have no regard for the children or staffs health since there is a pandemic and they do not enforce mask use or care if a staff member shows up to work with COVID symptoms. Higher management is prejudice and promotes everyone except minorities. HORRIBLE ENVIRONMENT through and through. The most mentally draining job I've ever worked with little to no benefits

avatar
The Key Program Response
4y
Thank you for taking the time to comment on your experience at the Key Program. Key’s Residential Caseworker (RCW) position involves being a positive role model and mentor to at-risk children and youth living in a group home setting. Yes, staff are involved in activities such as cooking, cleaning, and laundry; however, they are not DOING these activities, they are TEACHING them to children/youth while they supervise, instruct, encourage, and assess each child/youths’ ability to grasp and complete these important daily living skills. Safety of ALL is a first priority and staff supervision of the children/youth is critical; therefore, the proper ratio of staff to clients is never negotiable. There MAY BE situations where a teammate (another RCW or an Assistant Program Supervisor, or a Clinician) may leave the group momentarily to take an important phone call from a DCF social worker or to debrief an incoming staff (and move to a more private area away from the kids) but they will strategically remain in earshot and/or in the line of vision with the group, and they will return as quickly as possible. Key always has and continues to be in full compliance with COVID-19 guidelines from the states of MA and RI as well as the CDC guidance and have provided mandatory on-site COVID surveillance testing. Any staff person experiencing COVID-like symptoms is not allowed to work and is sent home from their shift if they develop symptoms while at work. There is NO situation in which a staff member would be allowed into a program with COVID-like symptoms. Key is an equal opportunity employer and strives to recruit, retain and promote a diverse workforce at all staff levels. Key’s wage and salary compensation is higher than most human service agencies in our regional areas and Key’s benefit package is both comprehensive and generous offering an excellent health, dental, optical and prescription plan with low co-pays and a low staff contribution. In addition, Key offers educational reimbursement, graduate school scholarships, paid time off, pre-tax childcare, free clinical supervision for licensing, and more. Key’s intensive training and supervision model provides staff with opportunities for growth and advancement within Key or positions them to move on to other human service-type positions within the private or public sector. Working with our at-risk client population can be a challenging job that requires stamina, patience, flexibility, and teamwork. Putting in the work to make a positive difference in the lives of children/youth is an extremely rewarding and honorable career choice, but we understand that it may not be a match for everyone. We thank you for the time that you worked at Key and we wish you the best in your future endeavors.
2.0
May 10, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Over time Some of the kids Bonuses

Cons

Horrible communication False advertisement (ask tons of specific questions during the interview, that’s how they get you) Not enough staff Too much grey area in policies Unprofessional management Excessive driving/spending personal money

2.0
Sep 7, 2022

Caseworker

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Much to learn, the team worked well together.

Cons

crazy work load. Management unappreciative of work.

1.0
Jul 10, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

pay rate, opportunities, building connections and providing structure/safety for children

Cons

overworked, refusal of earned sick time, word of mouth accusations, bias by supervisors, threatens write ups for situations out of employees control. unpaid suspensions from any accusations from clients which you will still be held accountable for. lack of mental health care or support. excessive use of force from staff towards children. favoritism of clients from staff. refusal of earned breaks per massachusetts laws. lack of PPE when dealing with biohazard situations such as feces, lice, urine, menstruation blood, etc. Getting scheduled for shifts on your days off and gaslit by management that you requested TO WORK it. Non-inclusive and discriminates against anyone in the LGBTQ+ community. all higher ups are in romantic relationships with one another. management won’t bat an eye when staff are assaulted until the higher ups are physically injured. Will write you up or discipline you for not completing paperwork, but will only provide one laptop per program and refuse to allow you to finish work from home. higher ups will put all of the heavy work on lower level, new staff. as a new staff as a residential caseworker, be prepared to work until 11:30pm and be back for 6:30am, working 6 days a week often. be prepared to shovel entire driveways and salt them in the winter. be prepared to cook every meal for clients, sacrifice your personal vehicle, maintain a spotless house, keep up with paperwork for each client every 30 minutes, and write summaries of the day… all while higher ups sit on their phone or doing arts and crafts activities by THEMSELVES. this establishment is asking for a lawsuit with their lack of rights towards employees and needs to be evaluated by the BBB. you will constantly be left out of ratio with high risk clients. let me also make it clear, they marked me as CPR CERTIFIED WHEN I NEVER COMPLETED THEIR TRAINING!! the amount of neglect and illegal circumstances occurring in these establishments are extremely concerning. they will discipline anyone who attempts to bring these concerns to light. also be prepared to work every single holiday imaginable. be prepared to sleep on the floor under video surveillance when they are short staffed and expect to jump right into your next shift. to add fuel to the fire, higher ups came to the interesting conclusion that i parted ways from this position due to the “trauma response faced from being involved with their services as a minor” How interesting to know that was continuously reiterated when my adolescent files are sealed. lots of breaches and violations happening!!! this establishment FEEDS off of young adults that they can manipulate and walk all over. there’s a reason the turnover rate is so incredibly high. a workplace shouldn’t have you considering whether or not you’re worthy of breathing. we are humans. not robots like they want you to be. watched multiple clients have their entire lives uprooted and moved around simply because staff couldn’t maintain professional boundaries with coworkers, which allowed clients to be overly aware of the romantic relationships occurring between staff. watched a staff blow up a coworkers phone demanding them to come into work a DAY after they lost their family member. read the handbook in its entirety and lawyer up UPON hire because they WILL violate every single right. i was the wrong skeleton to play tetherball with because i will not let these circumstances continue to be swept under the rug while children suffer the consequences of grown adults poor decision making. as a human development major, these staff are traumatizing these children beyond repair when they are the exact people who should be aiding in the growth and development of these children. clients are being treated like war criminals by staff when a group of these children are involved in these programs from no fault of their own

Viewing 1 - 3 of 18 Reviews

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