Pros
-I liked the fellows in my regional office -I loved working directly with clients -Diverse staff
Cons
-I ran one of the biggest and most successful programs in our regional office and was not compensated for it. -I was constantly put in ethically and legally ambiguous situations with our partner agency. For example, the contract I worked on required the person in my role to have a MSW and 5 years of experience working with the specific population. I was a recent grad with no such experience. The Site Director gas lit the contract leader into keeping me on the contract and made ME explain to him why I was qualified - even though I was asked by the SD to work on the contract. -Absolute ZERO built-in support for mental health services - which you will need!!! -Benefits are trash. It would cost the same amount to put a spouse and multiple children on my new employer's plan as it did to pay for myself at AW. -Mental health was at an all-time low. -CEO only sees clients as an opportunity to generate profit. Similarly, my Site Director once infamously told all new staff that this is "not about the clients, it's about the bottom line." Here's what I'm getting at: If you are interested in helping people, go to school to get your MSW or BSW and apply to work at an government agency. AW profits off of the government contracts they procure and you will feel major pressure from upper management to meet billing goals. Look up salaries at government agencies - you'll find that they make double what you will ever make at AW, and you'll have government benefits. Ultimately, do NOT accept your offer here. This fellowship preys on bright young people who feel like they won't get a better offer elsewhere. Leverage this offer at a different organziation/company and keep applyig. You can do it!!!