What does The Phōs Project do?
The Phōs Project offers practical, interactive workshops designed to equip churches, organisations and professionals with the knowledge and confidence to safeguard those in their care.
Our training empowers participants to:
Recognise early indicators of exploitation
Respond appropriately and confidently
Respond to and record disclosures safely
Understand how to contribute meaningfully to the prevention of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
We understand that this subject matter can be challenging. Conversations around exploitation and abuse can be particularly difficult for survivors and for those supporting vulnerable individuals. The Phōs Project is deeply committed to the psychological safety and wellbeing of every participant.
To ensure appropriate support is available, we partner with The Women’s Well.
As part of our training package, we provide three funded places per session for a partly subsidised after care appointment with a qualified mental health professional.
These sessions are available to participants who feel impacted by the training content and would benefit from additional support.
Our goal is not only to inform, but to create safe, supported spaces where learning leads to confident, compassionate action.
The vision
The Phōs Project envisions a community where every organisation, regardless of size or resource, is equipped with a deep and practical understanding of the risks children and young people encounter and is empowered to respond.
The goal is an environment where safeguarding is not delegated to a single individual, but is a shared commitment integrated into the fabric of the organisation.
By sharing knowledge and raising awareness of Child Sexual Exploitation, The Phōs Project empowers communities to respond with Christ-like compassion and proactively protect the next generation.
The mission
Grounded in biblical principles that call us to protect the vulnerable, speak out and act with wisdom, The Phōs Project exists to shine a light on the often overlooked realities of child exploitation. Our mission is to place safeguarding at the centre of every conversation, raising awareness that helps adults recognise risk and take informed action to protect young people.
We provide clear, practical information on Child Sexual Exploitation to those working with children within churches and other organisations, supporting them to spot signs early, understand how exploitation happens, and feel confident in reporting and disrupting harm. We believe prevention is better than cure, and that informed adults help create safer spaces for young people.
The pillars that we build our work upon are awareness, compassion and prevention. Adults must first be aware, respond appropriately with compassion and take action to protect and prevent where it is possible to do so.
The Name:
The Greek word Phōs (φῶς) means “light” and is often used metaphorically to represent truth and understanding.
The Phōs Project exists to illuminate and bring clarity to issues that can often remain hidden, ignored, or misunderstood, particularly in relation to children and their experiences of exploitation. These are difficult conversations for many to have, but they are necessary if concerns are to be recognised and responded to appropriately. Conversation and awareness is where this work begins, but meaningful change requires informed and responsible action to follow.
The founder
“ I have worked with young people for 10 years with 7 of those being a secondary education professional and middle leader in both alternative provision and mainstream settings.
In 2017 I started my career within education in a pupil referral unit as a teaching assistant. It was there that I first encountered young people affected by CSE and CCE. Though that may not have been language they understood or attributed to themselves, I recognised young people facing multiple layers of disadvantage and vulnerability. I didn’t yet have full knowledge of reporting mechanisms, but I knew I could not stay silent and the trust I built with young people meant they were able to speak up and trust me to report on their behalf.
Several years later I qualified as a secondary school teacher and later joined the pastoral team as an assistant head of year. This role allowed me to develop expertise in recognising hidden victims, understanding the signs of exploitation, and reporting concerns effectively.
Though I have now transitioned into Local Authority education services this work has remained close to my heart. I cannot ignore that CSE is indiscriminate — and every organisation must recognise this.
Through The Phōs Project, I aim to equip others to recognise and respond to safeguarding risks in their communities in an informed and appropriate way.”
Alisha Powell, Founder of The Phōs Project