The Centre of Social Justice Award 2008

In July 2008 Prospex were awarded the honour of winning “The Centre for Social Justice Award 2008” selected from over 200 voluntary groups and charities that applied. The Prize was awarded by Boris Johnson before an audience of senior politicians, business people, philanthropists, celebrities and the media.

The CSJ Awards recognise and reward effective poverty fighting groups from across the UK.

The prize was £10,000 which we put towards employing Josette, our first family worker. We were also given an attractive glass trophy of which we are very proud.

The Faithworks Awards 2009

On the 8th June Prospex attended the Faithworks Awards at the House of Commons. We were one of seven shortlisted out of seventy seven for the “Improving the Lives of Children and Young Peolpe” section and were runners up.

We aim:

• To help young people to reach their full potential.
• To meet the needs of young people especially those who are marginalised and disaffected.
• To listen to young people and their opinions and beliefs in an unconditional and non-judgemental manner.
• To support young people in developing their skills and using their talents.
• To provide safe haven for young people at risk.
• To raise aspirations.

Prospex’s origins are built on Christian Principles. The following Core Values are the basis our work today, and are based on those founding Principles.

• Constant respect for all young people, irrespective of culture, gender or creed.
• Build positive non judgemental relationships with young people.
• Treat young people as you would like to be treated yourself.
• Meet the practical needs of young people, in particular those marginalised and disaffected.
• Care for young people spiritually, socially, educationally and physically.
• Stand alongside, support and spend quality time with young people.
• Value the importance of young people within their family context.
• Value the importance of personal beliefs and self expression in young people.
• Equip young people to build their potential.
• Remove barriers and free young people from oppression.
• Stand against any injustice suffered by young people.
• Uncompromising integrity.

A word from Prospex Founder – Matt Calvert

I have been involved in youth work for the past 18 years or more in different ways, starting as a young leader in the youth club I attended as a boy and working my way up the ranks. I went to the Dominican Republic on a building project shortly after finishing school whilst at college. It was here that I felt I was given the vision to set up a youth organisation like no other that met the needs that were being so often missed back home in Britain. Like any young man at the time and a good Christian I ignored the whole idea and went my own way. The following year I found myself in Tanzania on another building project and it was here that I was given a passage by the leader of the team. Little did I know how significant Isaiah 58 v6-12 would become.

In 1998 I moved to London to take up the position as Youth Worker for a local C of E Church, St Andrew’s, not 10 minutes from King’s Cross. The remit of the job was to get onto the Bemerton Estate and get along side the local young people, who I hasten to add were known locally as the ‘untouchables’.

I teamed up at the time with a Local Authority Detached Project that was already on the Estate and started work. I spent the next three years sitting on stairwells in and around the Estate engaging and getting alongside as many of the young people as I could, slowly but surely things began to happen and we were able to work with them. Running a youth club and helping some with school work and finding jobs. The three years of my contract flashed by, not really wanting to let the work go to waste and wanting to grow the work we had started I found myself with a unique opportunity to start and create what God had laid on my heart all those years earlier to make the dream and vision happen.

I sat in a local pub with a friend, Robin Vos, and shared my heart with him. It was then in that pub that Prospex was formed based upon the Isaiah 58 passage that now plays an important role in all Prospex does.

Prospex has its foundations in the two core principles of ‘Time Spent’ and ‘Relationships’, ensuring innovative, individual and flexible services. It has been an honour to have lead Prospex over its initial eight years and it is a pleasure to see it continue to grow and develop in tackling many of the difficult issues met by our young people in London today.

Interview from the Observer

Panorama story

Story in the Financial Times (pdf)