What we value

Treating people with dignity and respect: We value every person and celebrate who they are. We do not just tolerate diversity, but actively embrace it in our communities. A key way we demonstrate dignity and respect is by being fully present to each other when we are together and listening deeply to one another.

Friendliness and welcome: We are deeply committed to building friendships together, which calls us to live life with a joyful and grateful spirit. A key way we demonstrate friendliness and welcome is by offering meaningful invitation and welcome to newcomers, and also to each other, on a daily basis.

Empathy: We are committed to understanding and sharing the feelings of one another. We prioritise the qualities of compassion, caring, and kindness to nurture empathy. A key way we demonstrate empathy is through the quality of the shared life we build together.

Integrity: We strive to have integrity in everything we do and in every relationship we build. We seek to be authentic and honest, trustworthy and open, because to build meaningful relationships we need to reveal who we are. A key way we demonstrate integrity is through our willingness to be both vulnerable and courageous.

Commitment to community building: We choose to share life together rather than merely work together. Sharing life means we create mutual relationships with one another and also share responsibility for the life and wellbeing of the community as a whole. We practice forgiveness and celebration, and create places of belonging that are open to all who share our mission and values. A key way we demonstrate our commitment to community building is through our nurturing of our shared spirituality expressed through the community traditions and practices that shape our daily life together.

Openness to reflection, learning and growth: We are personally committed to growth and development in the dimensions of L’Arche identity and mission, and also support the growth of the whole community by nurturing the gifts of each person, creating a learning culture together and being attentive to our personal and communal spiritual life. A key way we demonstrate our commitment to learning is the frequency and quality of our personal and group reflective practices and processes.

Commitment to the vision and mission of L’Arche: We actively engage in all dimensions of the L’Arche mission and practice, both personally and communally. We demonstrate our commitment as people with and without learning disabilities sharing in life together through engaging in our local neighbourhoods, and the wider world, to shape a more human society.

For more information about applying to be an assistant, follow the links below:

Residential assistants

Non-residential assistants

Latest

House Leader

£19,570 - £20,634 (40 hours a week). Offered as a permanent role
Hopegoblin Ceilidh Band at St Paul's Church Hall

Join us at St Paul's Church Hall on Friday 19th October from 7.30-10.30 for a live Ceilidh band! Tickets are £5 on the door. Bring your own booze and food to share
Our impact: Amanda's story

Amanda’s daughter, Laura, is the founding core member of the L’Arche Manchester community. In this piece, Amanda reflects on the challenges of caring for a child with a learning disability and how L’Arche has transformed hers, and Laura’s life.
Bella's story

Bella was a volunteer in the Hive community Kitchen with L’Arche Manchester. She came to L’Arche from her home country of Indonesia with the Vincentians. Here she learnt about patience, vulnerability and the preciousness of people with and without learning disabilities.

Local assistant stories

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What we expect

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What is L'Arche

At L’Arche Manchester 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.
Join us as an assistant

Spend a year as an assistant at L'Arche Manchester and we will give you an experience of difference that will change your life.
Bella's story

Bella was a volunteer in the Hive community Kitchen with L’Arche Manchester. She came to L’Arche from her home country of Indonesia with the Vincentians. Here she learnt about patience, vulnerability and the preciousness of people with and without learning disabilities.
Community life

What makes L’Arche different is the attention we pay to building relationships and creating a sense of belonging within our Communities.
Shared living

Our houses in South Manchester provide accommodation to people with learning disabilities and live-in assistants.
L'Arche in Manchester

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Day activities

L’Arche Manchester offers day activities three days a week (Monday-Wednesday) for people with learning disabilities.
Our impact: Amanda's story

Amanda’s daughter, Laura, is the founding core member of the L’Arche Manchester community. In this piece, Amanda reflects on the challenges of caring for a child with a learning disability and how L’Arche has transformed hers, and Laura’s life.
Why volunteer

We are always welcoming of people who wish to join L'Arche Manchester as either volunteers or friends.
Life in Manchester

Often referred to as the ‘capital of the north,’ Manchester is a dynamic, culturally rich, and diverse city. It may rain more than most other UK cities, but we don’t let that dampen our spirits. It is a city renowned for its music, arts and culture. With a long campaigning history, it was the birthplace of the Suffragette Emily Pankhurst, and is known for its thriving LGBTQ+ community.