About

Open Door Housing & Support Foundation

Compassionate. Trauma-informed. Built around people.

Who We Are

Open Door Housing & Support Foundation is a place where everyone is welcomed without judgement.

Where housing and support go hand in hand, and where the foundation we provide is built to last.The name Open Door represents our commitment to being accessible, compassionate, and always present for those who need us most.

Open Door

A place where everyone is welcomed without judgement. Always accessible, always open.

Housing

Safe, stable accommodation remains at the heart of what we do.

Support Foundation

Advocacy, signposting, and walking alongside people through recovery.

Our approach

Support that looks different for everyone.

We don't offer a one-size-fits-all solution. Our support is person-centred, trauma-informed, and built around the individual — because no two journeys are the same. Whether someone needs practical help, emotional support, or simply someone in their corner, we adapt to what each person genuinely needs.

Our mission

To create safe, supportive pathways forward for people rebuilding their lives — with compassion, dignity, and without judgement.

We understand that many individuals and families struggle to access support due to fear, stigma, financial hardship, or complex life circumstances. Our approach focuses on creating environments where people feel heard, respected, and empowered to move forward.

Our Values

  • We listen first. Every person's journey is unique — we meet people with care, not assumptions.

    THOUGHTFUL

  • Progress is brick by brick. We create foundations in housing, health, and confidence that grow over time.

    BUILDABLE

  • Our goal is never dependency on us. It's people standing on their own, with the skills to thrive.

    INDEPENDENCE

  • Growth starts with honest self-awareness. We offer space to look back clearly, so people can move forward confidently.

    REFLECTION

  • We celebrate every small victory — a key, an appointment kept, a family visit — because they all add up.

    MOTIVATION

  • We don't do things for people — we do them alongside people, building belief that they can lead their own lives.

    EMPOWERMENT

Our People

Kay

Founder & Recovery Support Lead
(Trustee)

Kayleigh is a trustee of Open Door Housing & Support Foundation with a strong passion for supporting vulnerable individuals and families affected by trauma, addiction, mental health challenges, domestic abuse, housing instability, and adversity. Her approach combines professional knowledge, trauma-informed practice, lived experience, and compassionate community advocacy.

    • Degree in Criminology & Sociology (2:1) 

    • Safeguarding Children Training 

    • Safeguarding Adults Training 

    • Trauma-Informed Practice Training 

    • Motivational Interviewing Training 

    • Coaching for Change & Empowerment 

    • Nutritionalist Training 

    • Naloxone Training 

    • Group Facilitation Training 

    • Domestic Abuse Awareness Training 

    • Chemsex Awareness & Harm Reduction Training 

    • First Aid Training 

    • Rehabilitation & Recovery Support Experience 

    • Recovery Pathway & Community Support Specialist 

    • Trauma-Informed Consultancy & Community Support Work 

    • Lived Experience-Led Recovery & Wellbeing Support 

    • Trauma-informed recovery support 

    • Women’s wellbeing and recovery 

    • Family support 

    • Domestic abuse recovery support 

    • Community wellbeing 

    • Addiction recovery pathways 

    • Emotional wellbeing and empowerment 

    • Supported housing development 

    • Long-term recovery and stability support 

    • Community advocacy and support pathways

Julie

Governance & Quality Assurance
(Trustee)

Julie brings over 30 years of experience working within health and social care services, spanning leadership, governance, compliance, and service improvement. Having led failing services to Outstanding CQC ratings, her expertise helps shape the standards and structure of Open Door. Julie also brings lived experience — having been in recovery for seven years — giving her a unique and deeply empathetic perspective.

  • Julie began her career as a care worker within elderly care before progressing through a variety of leadership roles including:

    • Supervisor 

    • Manager 

    • Registered Manager 

    • Deputy Manager within learning disability services 

    She later took on the challenge of leading a failing service as Registered Manager and successfully improved the service from a “Good” rating to “Outstanding” within 18 months.

    Following this success, Julie went on to support other care home managers with improving and stabilising services, helping organisations strengthen care quality, governance, and operational standards.

    Julie later returned to elderly care and successfully transformed a small private domiciliary care company into a growing provider working alongside local authorities and securing contracts across:

    • Hampshire 

    • Berkshire 

    • Surrey 

    She also joined a live-in care provider that had previously failed two consecutive CQC inspections and successfully led the organisation to achieve a “Good” rating across all areas.

    • Quality Assurance

    • Governance & Compliance

    • Service Improvement

    • Staff Wellbeing

    • Leadership Development

    • Recovery Support

    • Quality assurance 

    • Governance & compliance 

    • Service improvement 

    • Staff wellbeing & mental health 

    • Safe and compassionate care delivery 

    • Leadership development 

    • Organisational systems and structure 

    • Recovery support and resilience 

    • Regulatory and legal standards within social care

Lisa

Operations & Coordination
(Trustee)

Often described as "the glue" behind the organisation, Lisa provides essential administrative, organisational, and coordination support across all areas of the charity's work. Her calm, reliable, and compassionate approach ensures that individuals, families, and professionals are supported efficiently and with care throughout their journey with Open Door.

    • Administrative Support 
      Providing essential day-to-day organisation and behind-the-scenes support across the charity.

    • Referral Coordination 
      Managing referrals, communication, enquiries, and helping individuals access the appropriate support pathways.

    • Appointment & Schedule Coordination 
      Supporting the organisation and coordination of appointments, meetings, wellbeing sessions, assessments, and ongoing communication.

    • Funding & Community Support Assistance 
      Supporting funding-related administration, community projects, and organisational development work.

    • Communication & Professional Liaison 
      Helping maintain communication with individuals, families, professionals, partner organisations, and community services.

    • Behind-The-Scenes Operational Support 
      Supporting the structure, organisation, and smooth running of services, projects, and future developments.

    • Compassionate Community Support 
      Helping create safe, respectful, welcoming, and supportive experiences for individuals and families engaging with Open Door.

    • Compassion 

    • Stability 

    • Community 

    • Organisation 

    • Hope 

    • Support

Elaine

Community Support & Advocacy
(Trustee)

Elaine is dedicated to hands-on community support, ensuring that vulnerable individuals and families feel valued, cared for, and practically supported during difficult times. She plays a vital role in preparing and delivering essential wellbeing resources, emergency support packs, and community engagement.

Elaine strongly believes that small acts of support, kindness, and practical help can have a significant impact on individuals and families facing adversity.

Her commitment to hands-on community support helps Open Door Housing & Support Foundation continue building compassionate, trauma-informed, and supportive environments for those who may otherwise feel isolated or unsupported.

    • Advocacy & Community Support 
      Providing practical and emotional support for vulnerable individuals and families within the community.

    • Essential Item Support 
      Supporting the organisation, preparation, and delivery of essential items to individuals and families experiencing hardship.

    • Family & Wellbeing Resource Packs 
      Helping create and distribute wellbeing packs, hygiene resources, children’s support items, and practical community resources.

    • Hands-On Community Engagement 
      Working directly within the community to provide compassionate, person-centred support and assistance.

    • Practical Support Pathways 
      Helping individuals access appropriate support, guidance, and community resources where possible.

    • Emotional Support & Encouragement 
      Offering supportive and compassionate engagement to individuals and families navigating difficult life circumstances.

    •  Compassion 

    • Community

    • Dignity

    • Practical Support

    • Advocacy

    • Hope

GET
INVOLVED

Want to be part of what we're building?

We're always looking for compassionate volunteers, professionals, and community partners who share our vision.

Get in touch