Our vision and mission
Why we're here and how we work.
Our vision
Thames Reach’s vision is of a society where street homelessness is ended and nobody need sleep rough on the streets.
Our mission
Thames Reach’s mission is to help people who are homeless or vulnerable to find decent homes, build supportive relationships and lead fulfilling lives.
Our ethos and values
What we do:
Never giving up on people
We believe that the effects of homelessness and social exclusion are a great injustice and that the road to recovery can often be long and painful. We are committed to never giving up on people, no matter how complex, chaotic and challenging they may be.
Highest aspirations, expectations and respect for service users
We passionately believe that people can make real and lasting changes in their lives. We have the highest aspirations, expectations and respect for our service users and will never be indifferent to their individual needs.
How we do it:
Staff: compassion, integrity, professionalism and commitment
Thames Reach’s staff are characterised by their compassion, integrity, professionalism and commitment. In return, unstinting support will be given to staff making decisions in the best interest of service users, trusting in their ability to work autonomously.
Working together
Everyone at Thames Reach is working to end street homelessness, and all parts of the organisation have important contributions to make. We believe passionately in achieving trust and mutual respect between the different parts of the organisation to accomplish this objective.
Working in partnership with others
Our aims can only be achieved by working in partnership with others; we know we do not have all the solutions. We generously give time, resources and expertise to others if the ultimate outcome gets us closer to achieving our vision and mission.
Open-mindedness
We are renowned for our open-mindedness, creativity, flexibility and refusal to allow rigid, dogmatic approaches to reduce effectiveness or inhibit actions.
We tell it as it is
Our strength lies in knowing what is happening on the ground and we use this knowledge to make an impact at the highest level, especially by giving our service users the chance to speak directly to those with influence and power. We always tell it as it is, presenting information and delivering our messages with integrity and honesty.
Ginny's story
Before joining Thames Reach’s Southwark Works project, Ginny was in a difficult position. Stuck in a physically draining cleaning job during the pandemic and struggling financially, she knew she needed a change but wasn’t sure where to turn.
Today, Ginny is not only free from the draining job she had previously but also thriving in both roles that align with her passion and skills. “I’ve left cleaning behind and I’m excited about my future,” she said.
Ginny’s story is a good example of how targeted support and resources can enable individuals to make meaningful career changes and improve their overall wellbeing.