Rewarding work with students, terrible team/work dynamic
Pros
City Year does offer a lot of training (almost a month in my case) and some of the classes were very helpful. Getting to experience a different school environment than I was brought up in Working one on one with unique students who all have a story to tell Seeing students improve Scholarship Money at the completion on your AmeriCorps Term of service
Cons
Don't like the team you were assigned to? Tough. Deal with it. Team Leader or Program Manager doesn't like you? Get ready for a bumpy year. VERY strict time off policies (yes this includes deaths, illness, MEDICAL APPOINMENTS, etc) A lot of the training does not prepare you for what to actually expect in schools. The trainings and ideas look great on paper but do not work at every school and definitely not with every student. Not able to intervene in dangerous situations. Expected that you stay past the end of the day if things were running late regardless of your life outside of CY Treated like a monster if you didn't agree with every political, social, religious, life value that the majority agreed with. If you're white, you're treated like you and only you have ever received privilege and you should feel guilty and ashamed for it, despite the fact that you're choosing to work in a school and mentor and tutor students.
