Pros
*You learn so much from the kids and grow many meaningful relationships with them and staff.
*The work you do is incredibly meaningful and worth every moment you spend with the kiddos.
*Unforgettable memories.
Cons
* Lack of support/Support from afar: It doesn't always feel like the team has the best interest of the child in mind. I know they mean well, but sometimes it felt like they just wanted to mitigate an issue with a kid they knew would make their own bad day everyone else's issue at the expense of the primary house parents, and it wasn't fair. There were times where my coworker and I felt like it was just us because even our alternates wouldn't uphold our rules when we were off. The team would say things like "y'all are doing an amazing job with this house", but they would hardly swing by to see our kids [not everyone on our team. Some of them were incredibly supportive].
*The schedule. 6 days on 3 days off
*The pay-hours worked ratio: it's a salaried job and hps starting out made/make minimum wage. The hours are 6am-10pm, but if you work past that (which you will if you live in the house a primary because they will make you night staff as well), you don't get compensated for it. They have night staff youth workers who are compensated to work 10pm-10am or 10pm-6am (they made $14 when I left), so why don't hps also get compensated?