About Us
Project Caleb is a charity with the following objectives -
"The relief of poverty, hardship and distress, in particular but not by way of limitation among young people, throughout the UK by the provision of advice, support, training and other assistance in accessing benefits, housing, educational or vocational qualifications and employment and by such other exclusively charitable means as the trustees shall from time to time determine, in accordance with Christian principles."
In practical terms this means helping young people on a day to day basis, providing intensive assistance in whatever area of their life as needed. This may mean assistance with finding a training course, or housing, or counseling. Project Caleb also provides its own training, for example training for life and drug awareness. All this within a Christian context, linking young people with volunteers from the community, very often churches, showing young people, in practical ways about the love of God.
Project Caleb is headed up on the ground by Simon Wrigley and Des Lee. Simon is married and lives in Flixton Manchester with his wife and three children. Helen works as an artist supporting Simon in his work on Project Caleb (see www.helenparsley.com). Des has been a Christian for about four years and knows from first-hand experience about being in care, drug & alcohol misuse and prison life.
One of the key elements of Project Caleb, differentiating it from official agencies is the harnessing of the voluntary sector. It's our experience that there are many people within local churches who recognise the problem young people are facing and want to do something about it. They have the desire and time to befriend but don't know how to go about it. Project Caleb is providing the framework for the key element of assistance to young people in the building of relationships of young people with older people within their community; people they can trust and then learn from.
Project Caleb Value & Ethos statement:
The ethos of Project Caleb is to help vulnerable people no matter what their sex, colour or religion and to show the love of Christ in practical ways. Our activities are simply an outworking of our Christian faith. What we do derives directly from who we are.
We will value all individuals in a way that is consistent with our distinctive Christian ethos by:
- Assisting our clients, volunteers and employees to take responsibility for their own learning and development, both through formal and informal training opportunities and ongoing assessment.
- Developing an organisational culture in which individuals learn from any mistakes made and where excellence and innovation are encouraged and rewarded.
- Promoting the value of a balanced, holistic lifestyle as part of each individual's overall personal development.
- Abiding by the requirements of employment law in the UK and implementing best employment practices and procedures designed to maintain our distinctive ethos and values.
