And thank you for coming to this website. I hope it's helpful to you.

I work as a

teacher/facilitator, reviewer/evaluator, mentor/coach, writer and critical ally with you to focus on
  • the quality of human services for marginalised people ~ is the service relevant and effective for people's needs and aspirations?
  • developing leadership ~ do leaders have a valid ethical, conceptual and practical framework to offer a relevant and effective service?
  • planning for better lives ~ is the dream big enough? and will each individual have valued roles and a network of relationships?
  • welcoming communities ~ does human service work help or hinder the fabric of our communities? 
  • being more aware of how we are in our relational work with vulnerable people and others ~ do we work in power-over or power-with ways?

​My work is relevant to...

... individuals who are marginalised (such as older people and people with disabilities themselves) and their family members and allies, and
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​... services for older people and people with disabilities, and collectives of family members. Those who work with youth, asylum seekers and Aboriginal people have also found my work helpful.
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Ideas that shape the work of
​Jane Sherwin Consulting

The transformative vision

Our communities are richer when people who are typically marginalised have valued roles and relationships, and opportunities to contribute to the rich fabric of our society.

Beliefs about what helps

~ an awareness of self and one’s values and actions
~ a coherence between values and actions 
~ communities that have many ‘sweet spots’ of welcome
~ responsiveness to the aspirations of marginalised people, while also being mindful of their needs and vulnerabilities 
~ informed and moral leadership 
~ human services that offer quality responses to people’s needs and aspirations. This includes having a rigorous theoretical and practice framework

Jane's background

Areas of study

Masters in Education & Work, Macquarie University

​Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, University of Queensland

Accredited Teacher (Senior Trainer in Social role Valorisation)

Dialogue & Deliberation

​The Art of Facilitation

Key work experiences 

National and international Consultant since 2007

​Director, Community Resource Unit Inc, Queensland 2000-2007

Lecturer, University of Sydney and Griffith University Brisbane

Organisational change agent through work at Community Resource Unit with a range of traditional and progressive services from 1991 to 2007 and in roles in group homes and sheltered workshops from 1980 to 1991

Various Occupational Therapy roles  

Knowledge areas

I draw on a range of conceptual frameworks, especially
~ the theory of Social Role Valorization (better lives for people with a devalued status through valued social roles, consciousness and other key ideas), 

~ community development
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~ dialogic community development (the sorts of relationships and dialogues necessary for engaging in human to human ways 
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~ equal and ethical partnering: the relational nature of self direction (self direction is more than just about money)
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​~ participative action research

​~ frameworks for facilitation ​

Any queries?

About the photos
Please feel welcome to contact Jane
For those of you who are wondering about the photos of our natural world ... all were taken by me, in awe that our natural world is such a beautiful place. One of the gifts of the natural world is the realisation that it is capable of much transformation. Our communities are also capable of transformation.

​While training and awareness-raising campaigns have merit, a stronger path is to consider what helps transform us, individually and collectively. What is it that brings out our best? What needs to be in our hearts and minds? What should be the nature of our relationships with each other, especially for those of us who are paid to be in people's lives? 

My work, alongside the efforts of others, strives to answer these questions