About Open Gate

Open Gate is a sober living and supported housing organisation dedicated to adults with learning disabilities, mental health needs and autism. We provide tailored environments that foster growth, autonomy, and lasting stability in the community.

Open Gate Support

Mission

Our mission is to foster independence through stable housing. We provide a safety net while encouraging choice and active community involvement for every adult we support.

Vision

We envision a society where disability or mental health needs never limit one's quality of life. Open Gate aims to be a leader in trauma-informed care and advocacy.

Values

We value advocacy and personalised support, building trust, independence, growth and partnership through safe, person-centred support.

Our Story

Open Gate was founded after identifying significant gaps in existing supported housing models, where the specific needs of neurodivergent adults and those with mental health challenges were often overlooked. We saw a clear necessity for a more refined, professional environment that doesn't sacrifice the warmth of a home.

Our mission was to establish a service rooted in trauma-informed care, recognising that past experiences deeply influence how individuals navigate their present. We believe that stability is not just about a roof over one’s head, but about the quality of the relationships and the sense of safety cultivated within those walls.

Through a steadfast commitment to person-centred support, Open Gate is an organisation that truly empowers choice. We advocate for the individuals we serve, bridging the divide between clinical necessity and personal independence in everything we do.

Our Approach

Person-centred planning that ensures every individual is at the heart of their own support journey.

Active partnership with families and multidisciplinary professionals to provide joined-up, holistic care.

Positive Behaviour Support strategies that focus on communication, coping skills, and quality of life.

Building daily living skills through practical, trauma-informed support to foster long-term independence.

Meet the Team

Our dedicated professionals bring together decades of experience in supported living, autism care, and mental health advocacy.

Luigi Barbieri

Director of Operations and governance

Luigi Barbieri is the Co-Founder and Director of Operations and Governance of Open Gate Support Limited.

Luigi is a highly experienced, CQC-registered care professional with a strong background in learning disabilities, mental health and supported living services. Over the course of his career, he has developed extensive expertise in leading complex services, managing teams and delivering high standards of person-centred support to vulnerable adults.

He has held senior management roles across a range of care settings, with responsibility for service delivery, safeguarding, compliance, quality assurance, operational performance and staff development. His experience includes working closely with local authorities,

commissioners, NHS professionals and other external stakeholders to ensure services are safe, effective and responsive to individual needs.

At the heart of Luigi’s approach is a genuine belief in dignity, independence and person-centred practice. He is committed to creating services where people are listened to, respected and supported to live as fully and independently as possible. His work is driven by integrity, accountability and a clear passion for making a positive difference in people’s lives.

John Elliot Hagan

Director of finance and hr

John Elliot Hagan is the Co-Founder and Director of Finance and HR of Open Gate Support Limited, bringing over fifteen years of hands-on experience within the Health and Social care sector. Beginning his career as a Support Worker, he has progressed through the ranks to Regional Manager, gaining a comprehensive understanding of care delivery at every level.

Throughout his career, John has developed strong expertise in finance, compliance, human resources, leadership, and service quality. He has consistently demonstrated a commitment to maintaining high standards, empowering teams, and ensuring that the people being supported receive person-centred, compassionate care.

Originally starting out in journalism, John spent many years using storytelling as a tool to empower individuals and highlight societal issues. This passion for making a difference naturally transitioned into the care sector, where he discovered a deeper calling to support vulnerable individuals and contribute meaningfully to his community.

John’s motivation comes from witnessing the commitment of the care teams and frontline staff who safeguard the wellbeing and dignity of vulnerable individuals across the community. He often highlights that Open Gate's strength lies in its people, and he credits the organisation with helping to reshape the care sector by championing the belief that social care is fundamentally about human beings, not bureaucracy.

Cristiano Ciccarelli

Head of compliance

Cristiano Ciccarelli is an experienced compliance and service management professional with over six years of leadership across housing, mental health, and supported living services in complex multi-agency environments. He brings a strong track record in regulatory compliance, property standards, safeguarding, and operational governance, ensuring services consistently meet statutory and quality requirements.

Cristiano has developed extensive expertise in overseeing property compliance, managing health and safety obligations, and maintaining robust audit and reporting systems. His work is grounded in close collaboration with landlords, contractors, local authorities, and internal stakeholders to identify risks early, resolve compliance gaps efficiently, and maintain service continuity.

With a background in referrals, pathway coordination, and service delivery, he understands the operational pressures of supported housing and applies this insight to strengthen compliance frameworks and performance monitoring. He is highly skilled in data analysis, KPI tracking, and documentation control, using evidence-based approaches to support strategic decision making and continuous improvement.

Cristiano is committed to fostering a culture of accountability, transparency, and high-quality care, ensuring that services not only meet regulatory standards but deliver safe, effective, and person-centred outcomes.

Cristina Zorat

Head of clinical operations

Cristina's approach to clinical leadership is shaped by many years of experience across mental health, trauma, neurodiversity and social care. She is a BACP accredited therapist and previously worked as Manager of Clinical Services within the charity sector, combining therapeutic expertise with strategic and operational leadership.

As Head of Clinical Operations, Cristina is committed to ensuring supported accommodation services are safe, trauma-informed and person-centred, helping people build confidence, independence and stability in their lives.

Working closely with managers and support teams, she provides clinical oversight while maintaining high standards of quality, safeguarding, governance and risk management. She also supports service development and empowers teams to respond confidently and compassionately to complex and changing needs.

Cristina believes the best outcomes come from understanding the person behind the diagnosis. By promoting a culture of compassion, reflection and continuous learning, she supports teams to deliver care that upholds dignity, wellbeing and inclusion, enabling people to thrive within their communities.

Leine Oukenze

head of training

Leine Oukenze is an accomplished training and development professional with extensive experience in teaching, coaching, and workforce development. Throughout her career, she has successfully trained and supported individuals from diverse backgrounds, helping them build confidence, develop practical skills, and achieve outstanding personal and professional outcomes. Her passion for learning and development has made her a respected figure among the teams and organisations she has worked with.

As a consultant and experienced trainer, Leine brings a wealth of knowledge in delivering engaging, person-centred training programmes that promote excellence in care and support services. She is committed to equipping staff with the skills, knowledge, and confidence required to provide high-quality, compassionate support while maintaining the highest professional and regulatory standards.

As Head of Training for our Supported Living Services, Leine leads the development and delivery of our staff training strategy, ensuring our workforce remains knowledgeable, competent, and empowered to make a positive difference in people's lives. Her dedication to continuous improvement, quality care, and staff development plays a key role in helping our service achieve exceptional outcomes for the individuals we support.