Pros
While the work is difficult, I truly loved working with and connecting with survivors of sexual assault. I also made some incredible friendships. I learned what it means to be an advocate and what it truly means to be trauma-informed.
Cons
Considering that it's a place to help survivors of trauma, it's no longer a trauma-informed space. There is little to no support given for staff working in direct services. Leadership lacks open communication and transparency. If you don't fit the personality that leadership prefers (submissive, agreeable), you'll feel their dislike towards you. While I wasn't directly affected by this, I witnessed it several times because it was that obvious. Its very clear why they've experienced such a high turnover rate this year. While I understand that everyone is truly doing what they think is best, it's difficult to continue working under people who refuse to take accountability or acknowledge their mistakes, whether big or small. If you're not all on the same page as a non-profit, it's impossible to hold staff retention. The environment itself is ultimately what led to my burnout and my decision to leave, not my caseload or working with survivors. I'm hopeful that one day this will be a safe space again for both survivors and staff. That being said, I do love the RRC mission and the personal growth and healing that I experienced while working there