Boys Town Reviews

Former Employee – worked at Boys Town

Pros – People are very friendly, supportive upper management staff. great location, it has that homely feel to it. i really felt that i was making a difference in the lives of children served by Boys Town

Cons – kids could be hostile at times but like what we have been told: it's just the behavior.

Advice to Senior Management – keep up the good work!

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at Boys Town full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – Benefits, helping families and children in need, working to fulfill Father Flanagan's legacy, the opportunity to work with like-minded people, rewarding, ability to see benefits of your work.

Cons – The structure at Boys Town is very rigid and does not allow for career development. I have witnessed employees who did not meet the qualifications of a position get promoted based on the fact they were a good friend of someone in senior management. There is hardly any accountability for managers and they (the ones I have been in contact with) take full advantage of this. As another review mentioned, I have also seen supervisors and directors become extremely defensive when an issue is brought up (instead of being open to talking about it and being solution-focused). In my time here, it seems as though the management takes the easy way out and tries to cover up problems instead of fixing them.

Advice to Senior Management – Humility and accountability needs to start at the top. Focus on the kids instead of the "business" of Boys Town.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Boys Town

Pros – The staff is really passionate about the youth in their care, and the behavior model really does seem to work with youth. I have personally seen youth change over periods of time into individuals that would have been unimaginable upon first meeting them. Overall the change you see is amazing!

Cons – The hierarchy appears to be super rigid and not keen to taking suggestions. I've seen supervisors and Directors become defensive when it was not necessary. Conversation and addressing the concerns would have been a better option.

Advice to Senior Management – I understand that the model is rigid, but allow for a more democratic relationship among staff.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Boys Town full-time for more than a year

Pros – Embraced diversity initiatives and a work environment of inclusion and empowering its employees.

Cons – Minimal opportunity for career progression.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Boys Town full-time for less than a year

Pros – Great organization with a mission that is easy to get behind and support. The benefits are good and a lot of talented employees who really support the mission. Lots of opportunities for growth.

Cons – A bit slow to change and move to new technologies or trends. Non-profit salaries can be below median, but benefits really help to balance it out.

Advice to Senior Management – Recognize and reward talent a bit more formally.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Boys Town full-time

Pros – Boys Town is a wonderful organization that is positively impacting the lives of youth and families across the nation each and every day! It is refreshing to work in a positive environment where everyone truly believes in the mission of the organization and is here to make a difference in someone else's life! It's rewarding to be able to use your own gifts and give back to your community!

Cons – Employees at times may not put enough attention on their own personal health and needs because they are so driven by their desire to help others. It is important to continually encourage employees to have appropriate work/life balance. Help them understand this will make them more efficient and effective on the job, so they can continually perform to the high standards expected when delivering top services to our communities.

Advice to Senior Management – Continue to explore ways that Boys Town can impact the lives of more youth and families across the nation. Also continue to value your employees and the work they do on a daily basis. Explore the strengths each person can bring to the organization and work to utilize those to the fullest potential.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at Boys Town full-time

Pros – Working with the kids and seeing the change in them for the better is extremely rewarding. Even in a support position, where you don't work directly with youth or families, all you have to do is go to a home for dinner or attend a function the youth are having and you can see the difference.
There is training and support for every department. The training for direct care staff is motivating and prepares new employees for their positions.
Majority of the employees are here for the Mission and it shows.
Excellent benefits and opportunity for growth & development.

Cons – Being non-profit, the salary ranges tend to be a little lower than for-profit organizations.

Advice to Senior Management – Keep recognizing and rewarding top performers in each program/department!

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at Boys Town full-time

Pros – Boys Town does a lot of good for the at-risk youth of America. Working at Boys Town is extremely rewarding and can be A LOT of fun (especially when the kids are having positive behaviors). You get the chance to share experiences with the kids that they have never had the chance to experience before (ex: Christmas, family vacations, playing on athletic team, etc.). Boys Town offers good benefits and an inviting work environment. It is amazing to see the transformation that the youth at Boys Town make and how big of impact you can have on their life.

Cons – Boys Town seems to solely promote based on time with the company (not skill or ability). At times management seems to overlook the workers who are not engaged and/or not following the Boys Town Values/Ethics. Due to tough work hours and the nature of the job it is hard to balance work and a personal life.

Former Employee – worked at Boys Town

Pros – The chance to change the lives of Americas youth for the better.
Working with other individuals who are like minded.
Seeing the success in youth that have left the program and knowing you had a part in that transformation.

Cons – No respect from the youth. Some extreme examples are yelling, throwing of objects, swearing, in your face spitting marathons.

Organization wise, it is my opinion that the focus is now primarily about money and less about the youth of America.

Administration/general lack of support

Advice to Senior Management – Put more of the focus on the youth and staff that are on the front line. They are the cornerstone and the real reason behind Boys Towns success.

Former Employee – worked at Boys Town

Pros – - Good pay and great benefits
- Excellent training and continued education
- They promote from within and offer tuition reimbursement
- The Boys Town Model really works for a lot of kids and you can see lives transformed
- 4 day work week

Cons – - Highly stressful work environment (working with teens from very troubled backgrounds)
- Supervisors do not respect your days off, as they are constantly calling for you to work extra hours
- Sometimes expected to work extra long shifts (15 hours) without overtime pay. They will "rearrange" hours in order to avoid you going over 40 in a week... even though you did!
- Required to work holidays
- You can't get time off unless you find someone to cover your shift because it's a 24/7 facility.

Advice to Senior Management – Supervisors need to respect workers' days off and avoid calling them in. They should also offer to take over with the kids every once in awhile so that workers' can get a break. This is a very stressful job and lots of people burn out quickly.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend