Some people who come to L'Arche have studied in a related area but most have not. The first requirement is that applicants have a desire to share life together in a community setting. L'Arche invests much in the assistants and friends who help provide support to people with developmental disabilities in its homes and day settings. Besides training in skills and competence, L'Arche provides educational experiences on broader topics that help its members to reflect on their vision of humanity and how they want to live their lives. It does so convinced that the quality of life of the people with developmental disabilities is directly affected by the way caregivers think and relate and the view of the world that they hold.