Warning: City Year is Not what it Looks Like - Corps Member City Year Employee Review

1.0
Nov 9, 2008
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

If you are passionate about community service and working with youth and don't mind sitting around for hours on end doing nothing or a frustrating workplace.

Cons

If you have a problem upper management will turn it around on you. Basically, there is nothing wrong with City Year, the problem is you. Time is not managed well at all. Expect to find yourself with nothing to do for hours on end. No one cares if the other people on your team do nothing; a lazy work ethic is considered "diversity" there. Whatever happened to Americorps:Getting things done? Also, the pay is incredibly poor but you do get an education award.

Explore other reviews about City Year

5.0
Apr 13, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Well-organized/structured Transportation, healthcare, and AmeriCorps benefits Lots of teambuilding

Cons

Long days Uniforms A lot of professional development

1.0
Feb 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

if you put up with a year of lies, burnout, empathy fatigue from working with kids you can’t save, below minimum wage, then you can get a lot of money at the end.

Cons

they use the fact that you care about these kids to get you to put up with any and everything. that 900 something dollar check is basically 10 dollars an hour while you have to be an english and math tutor to multiple students, emotionally support them. mind you majority of these kids are experiencing poverty, several grades behind their reading and math level, extremely syndications home lives. these kids go through more than the average adult and you didn’t sign up to be a therapist. they are vague during the interview about the task and what you’re actually doing for a reason. so many other task and responsibilities. mangement does not care about you at all. they won’t care if you get injured, they won’t try to defend you to outside sources. i won’t ever get over how my school had teachers telling them kids they would never amount to anything, wouldn’t graduate, got called slurs, yet we stayed there, basically had to “turn the other cheek” and “be the lights” in the school….. majority of the people you work with WILL QUIT because who would want to stay in an environment like this. but majority of the people that leave will be black. that’s very telling.

2
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