L'Arche

Who we are

"Quite simply being part of L'Arche is being loved for who you are." 

(Assistant, L'Arche London)

Mission statement

• Make known the gifts of people with learning disabilities, revealed through mutually transforming relationships.
• Foster an environment in community that responds to the changing needs of our members whilst being faithful to the core values of our founding story.
• Engage in our diverse cultures, working together towards a more human society.
   

L'Arche Communities in the UK are Christian Communities welcoming adults with learning disabilities, employed assistants and volunteers. L’Arche Communities are vibrant places of welcome, belonging and celebration. There are ten Communities in the UK and over 140 Communities worldwide in 35 different countries. The first Community in the UK opened in Kent in 1974.

L’Arche Communities hold in balance these four elements: service, community, spirituality & outreach. We believe that people with learning disabilities have much to teach us and contribute to the world. We build Communities with a culture of shared lives between people with and without learning disabilities, from which we can work together to create a more human society.

In L’Arche we celebrate people with learning disabilities and build circles of support around them. We go beyond basic needs to attend to people’s emotional and spiritual lives.  It is this focus - on building relationships and a sense of belonging, on supporting each member of the Community with and without learning disabilities to reflect on what they have learnt and to share that reflection - that makes us different from other service providers.

L’Arche Communities around the world share this common philosophy and approach while reflecting the ethnic, cultural and religious composition of the areas in which they exist.

To find out more about what we do and our spirituality or to join us as an assistant, visit our website.

Our culture and values

The four key elements of a L’Arche Community are service, community, spirituality and outreach. We also have a Charter with the Identity and Mission statement, which say what L’Arche is across 37 countries worldwide.  

But we wanted to be more specific about what we want for L’Arche here and now. After lots of talking and listening to each other, these are the vision and values of L’Arche in the UK as part of our vision for 2030.  

Our Vision 

L’Arche is here to show that everyone belongs. 

• We create Communities where people with and without learning disabilities live, share and grow together.
• We build relationships with people in our neighbourhoods.
• We work towards a world where people with learning disabilities are included and valued. 

Our Values 

With and without learning disabilities, we try to:

• be welcoming and kind
• be committed to each other
• bring out the best in each other
• celebrate being different and diverse
• encourage one another’s spirituality. 

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

We celebrate diversity and seek to build inclusive Communities where everyone is treated fairly, with kindness and respect, and valued for who they are. As an employer, we encourage applications from everybody irrespective of religion, faith, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, and age.