Humankind

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.

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

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

• Mental health support
• Substance use treatment
• Supported housing services
• Domestic abuse support
• Employment training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Durham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Richmond FellowshipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 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

Direct 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

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@waythrough_uk
• Facebookfacebook.com/Humankindcharity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/humankindcharity
• Instagraminstagram.com/waythrough_uk
• Xx.com/Humankind_UK

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Humankind