Elmore launches new strategy, Holding the Hope

Oxfordshire mental health, complex needs, and domestic abuse service provider Elmore Community Services has launched its new strategy for 2022-2025. Called ‘Holding the Hope’, the strategy sets out the clear change that we seek to achieve for clients and in the services and systems that they rely upon. True to our bespoke approach, this strategy puts people at the heart of Elmore—and that includes clients, employees, partners, commissioners, and trustees. 

This strategy is hopeful, optimistic, and ambitious about supporting people and trying to change the pressures themselves. It sets out why Elmore exists and the essence of our support. Holding the Hope explains our choices and decisions about Elmore’s services—who we are, who we will support, where we will work, and how we will provide support. The strategy makes the case for the change we want to see in the world and explain how we seek to bring it about, based on away days facilitated by Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action and engagement with Elmore employees, clients, and trustees.

The new strategy establishes Elmore’s new vision, mission, and values

Elmore’s vision:

Everyone is treated with dignity and humanity and feels able to look to the future with hope. Society meets the human needs we all share and becomes stronger as a result.  

Services are sufficiently funded to flexibly engage and support people with complex needs, mental ill health, a lack of shelter, and trauma because of domestic abuse, sexual violence, and exploitation. Nobody feels pushed to the brink by the pressures in their lives. 

Elmore’s mission:

To hold the hope for people, supporting and stand alongside them, so that they know they aren’t on their own and feel empowered to look to the future. 

To provide service users with the tools and support they need to achieve their potential and facilitate other services to support people and close the gaps that they might fall through. 

To help eliminate exploitation and increase understanding about people’s needs and hopes. 

Elmore’s values:

Bespoke:  We respond with creativity and flexibility to people’s needs and circumstances and support them to achieve the things that matter to them (not others may want them to achieve). Elmore provides the right support—no matter how big the challenge or how small our control and influence.   

Non-judgemental:  We never judge people because we believe in treating everyone with dignity and humanity and encourage others to do the same. 

Tenacious:  We won’t give up on people and support service users to expand their options, opportunities, and choices. We always raise issues that may be uncomfortable through a problem-solving approach. 

Integrity:  We are honest with ourselves and those we work alongside and form authentic relationships as a result. Elmore is a trusted service provider, partner, and respected relationship builder with other agencies to ensure people get the right support when they need it. 

Empowering:  We think outside the box to support people to increase their sense of control over all areas of their lives. We find new ways to help people to increase their sense of self-determination and hold the hope until they can feel hopeful about their own future. 

The new strategy also establishes Elmore’s three areas of focus

Tom Hayes, Chief Executive of Elmore Community Services, said: “When Britain locked down during the early months of the coronavirus outbreak, there was an outpouring of compassion. Something profound in our relationships to each other was going on. We believe that this outpouring showed how things were always meant to be. As a caring organisation, Elmore will support clients and society to choose this path and our strategy sets out how we intend to do that. Now is the time for holding the hope.”