Humankind
Humankind, now operating as Waythrough after merging with Richmond Fellowship, is a UK-registered charity providing free, confidential support across mental health, substance use, supported housing, domestic abuse, and employment services to individuals across England.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersDurham, United Kingdom
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Humankind does
Humankind is a UK-registered charity founded in 1984 and headquartered in Durham, England. The organization delivered free, confidential support services to individuals facing mental health challenges, alcohol and drug use issues, supported housing needs, domestic abuse, and employment and training barriers. Service delivery was organized around a non-judgmental, person-centered model that prioritized what individuals wanted and were capable of, rather than their diagnosed problems. End users accessed services through self-referral, professional referral from commissioners and healthcare partners, or directly via local service points across England.
Following a completed merger with Richmond Fellowship, the combined organization now operates under the Waythrough brand, integrating substance use, mental health, supported housing, domestic abuse, and employment/training services under a single unified charity. The combined entity retains its CQC healthcare provider registration (1-126775024), social housing registration (4713), and registered charity status (515755) in England and Wales, reflecting its regulated position across both health and housing sectors. Headcount sits in the 1,001–5,000 range, and the organization is led by Chief Executive Officer Paul Townsley. Outreach and beneficiary acquisition rely on organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Bluesky, YouTube) and a community magazine, alongside referral pipelines from local authority and NHS commissioners.
Humankind/Waythrough is not a technology company; it is a service-delivery charity whose core product is in-person and community-based care. As such, there is no software platform, proprietary technology stack, or AI/ML capability documented in the source data. The business model is non-commercial in the traditional sense — services are provided free to end users, with operating income derived from public-sector commissioner contracts, grants, and donations. The strategic rationale of the Richmond Fellowship merger was to achieve the scale necessary to break down the historical siloes between substance use, mental health, and housing services, a fragmentation challenge that has long characterized UK social care commissioning.
Humankind firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Humankind
- Legal name
- Humankind
- Website
- https://humankindcharity.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Humankind, now operating as Waythrough after merging with Richmond Fellowship, is a UK-registered charity providing free, confidential support across mental health, substance use, supported housing, domestic abuse, and employment services to individuals across England.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Humankind industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social Care and Support Services
- NAICS
- Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN)
Keywords
Where Humankind is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Durham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Humankind business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Humankind product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Humankind (now operating as Waythrough following merger with Richmond Fellowship) provides free, confidential support services to individuals in England across six core areas: mental health, alcohol use, drug use, supported housing, domestic abuse, and employment and training. Services are delivered through local accessible sites and supported housing facilities, accessed via self-referral or professional referral, and operate as a single integrated charity rather than a modular platform.
Product overview
Humankind (now operating as Waythrough following merger with Richmond Fellowship) offers a unified set of support services for mental health, substance use (alcohol and drugs), housing, domestic abuse, and employment needs. The organization operates as a single integrated charity model rather than a modular platform, providing free confidential support through friendly local services. Services include mental health support, alcohol use support, drug use support, supported housing, domestic abuse support, and employment and training support — all accessible through self-referral or professional referral pathways.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mental Health Support
Companies that use Humankind
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Humankind technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Humankind partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Richmond FellowshipcoreThe merger of Humankind and Richmond Fellowship created Waythrough, combining two charities to break down barriers between substance use, mental health and other services at scale.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Humankind competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Turning Point: UK social enterprise providing integrated substance use, mental health, learning disability, and housing services. Most directly comparable peer given overlapping service lines and commissioner-facing operating model.
- Change Grow Live: UK charity delivering substance use, mental health, criminal justice, and housing support. Direct peer in substance use treatment and community-based support, comparable in scale and funding model.
- Rethink Mental Illness: UK charity providing mental health services, housing, and support groups. Comparable peer in mental health and supported housing delivery through charity and commissioner-funded channels.
- Catch22: UK social business delivering social support across mental health, substance use, education, and justice. Comparable multi-service charity/social enterprise model with overlapping customer segments.
- St Mungo's: UK charity focused on homelessness and supported housing, including recovery support for those with mental health and substance use needs. Highly comparable on supported housing and recovery pathway services.
- Centrepoint: UK charity providing supported housing and services for young people experiencing homelessness, including mental health support. Comparable on housing-focused support and charity delivery model.
- Together for Mental Wellbeing: UK charity supporting people with mental health needs through housing, advocacy, and community services. Closely comparable on combined mental health and supported housing delivery model.
Broad incumbents
- Mind: Largest UK mental health charity, providing advice, local Mind network services, and campaigning. Broader mental health incumbent with overlapping mental health support mission but distinct operating model.
- Sanctuary Housing: Large UK housing association providing supported housing and related services. Comparable on social housing registration and supported housing delivery, but operates at much larger scale and broader scope.
Regional players
- National Domestic Abuse Helpline (Refuge): UK domestic abuse charity providing refuge, helpline, and support services. Overlaps on the domestic abuse support service line, complementing Humankind/Waythrough's broader portfolio.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Humankind social profiles
Digital presenceHumankind compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Humankind financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Humankind leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Humankind funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Humankind M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Humankind
What does Humankind do?
Humankind (now operating as Waythrough following merger with Richmond Fellowship) provides free, confidential support services to individuals in England across six core areas: mental health, alcohol use, drug use, supported housing, domestic abuse, and employment and training. Services are delivered through local accessible sites and supported housing facilities, accessed via self-referral or professional referral, and operate as a single integrated charity rather than a modular platform.
Is Humankind a public or private company?
Humankind is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Humankind founded?
Humankind was founded in 1984. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Humankind based?
Humankind is headquartered in Durham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
Who are Humankind's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Turning Point, Change Grow Live, Rethink Mental Illness, Catch22, St Mungo's, Centrepoint and Together for Mental Wellbeing. Broad incumbents are Mind and Sanctuary Housing. National Domestic Abuse Helpline (Refuge) is listed as a regional player.
Does Humankind have an API?
No public API is recorded for Humankind.
What industry is Humankind in?
Humankind's product category is Social Care and Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAFACAN, Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services. Its NAICS code is 624190 and its SIC code is 8300.