suffocating, embarrassing, inept, non-profit more interested in image than results - Corps Member City Year Employee Review

1.0
1 Mar 2013
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You gain school/teaching experience, but in a manner that has you feeling you're on the outside looking in.

Cons

City Year is ridiculous. They go out of their way to hire "diverse" people, at the cost of results and efficacy. High school grads still wet behind the ears, directionless college drop outs, and college grads with no prospects. They'll hire people who can barely read or write, let alone who should be around children. They hire drug addicts, alcoholics, hateful and downright abusive individuals. Reports of drug and alcohol use AT THE SCHOOL, DURING THE SERVICE DAY are punished with a slap on the wrist. City Year, rather than trying to hire people who will better the schools (or the kids, apparently whom it's all about), cares more about the numbers of "diverse" (cough*inept) people rather than actual results. This is par for the course though. If you notice, City Year very rarely can prove that corps members are actually effective at raising scores or preventing drop-outs. Rather, they just report on the sheer number of hours served, and very dubious stats that are not actually due to CM interventions or service. We are poorly hired, poorly trained, poorly treated, poorly managed, and largely ineffective. I really regret spending this year with City Year. I wish I had looked into literally ANY other in-school service program, rather than trusting that City Year was a good organization.

Explore other reviews about City Year

5.0
29 Jan 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Community, connection, support, and its a great place for recent graduates to go until they figure the next step.

Cons

You won't make a lot of money.

4.0
22 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You do very meaningful work and the staff truly care about you and what you are doing.

Cons

School placements can be quite far from where you live, and the days are long (7:30 am - 5 pm). Often is exhausting, but you stay for the kids.

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