City Year reviews

I am only speaking about CYSJ and cannot speak for other CY locations because I've only served with CYSJ. That being said, the cons include: Low pay (stipend comes out to about ~$4/hour), RIDICULOUS hours averaging 11 hours a day, inhumane treatment of corps members/exploitation of corps members, money hungry and driven BUSINESS more than nonprofit organization. Constantly BLAMES AmeriCorps as organization rather than owning up and taking accountability. Additionally I've done my fair share of research on americorps programs, and there is no other program that pays this little yet has the longest hours. It is ABSURD that our stipend before taxes is a little over $10,000. Knowing the standard of living in silicon valley, it is ABSURD to think that living with 5 others in a 3 bedroom apartment is feasible and healthy and that we, corps members, can remain sane, healthy and READY TO SERVE 11 hours every single day for our year of service. They treat us like volunteers when it's convenient for them (i.e. making us work 11 hours a day) and treat us like employees when it's convenient for them (i.e. restricted PTO, medical leave, sick days, other BS restrictions) At the end of the day, I DO NOT recommend CY San Jose Silicon Valley. STAY AWAY and SAVE YOURSELF. I do not resent AmeriCorps and would recommend looking at other AmeriCorps programs if you want to do the same work that City Year supposedly does I.e. Citizen Schools, TFA, B&G Club and basically ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION.

1) The City Year superiors (Team Leaders, Program Managers, Program Directors) have proven to be largely incompetent. They make decisions in a very dictatorial fashion, focusing on growth and numbers and ignoring the needs of Corps members. 2)You follow students in classes all day, but oftentimes teachers teach for the entire class period; this means that whole class periods are spent doing nothing. There is a severe lack of productivity during the day, even though work days are upwards of 10 hours each day. 3) It is extremely stressful and often it feels futile to work in such horrible schools. The teachers and administration are often inept, and Corps Members have little power at the end of the day. Corps Members are forced to prop up support for these horrible schools. Sometimes, the only work we can do is have kids do missing assignments for full credit. This promotes bad work habits, and this isn't tutoring. This emphasis on just getting kids to do their work does little to curb the poor education that students receive. 4) City Year as an organization does little to support Corps Members. Training days happen upwards of once a week, and are frustratingly useless. 5) The data-driven approach is faulty and borderline corrupt. There is no data to understand City Year's impact on students once these students no longer have City Year to help them. In other words, City Year is so focused on short term success, that longterm success is totally ignored. 6) The culture of City Year is tacky and childish. The organization pontificates about professionalism, but promotes a culture that discourages any sense of professionalism. Management sits on their phones during trainings and doesn't uphold the same uniform standards as Corps Members.