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The International Institute for Child Rights and Development

Staff & Board Members

Dr. Tara Ney

Tara’s work in a number of diverse settings includes clinical assessment and treatment in mental health and hospitals, community development with Aboriginals, program development and evaluation in government and schools, and international trauma-relief trainings and consultations in post-conflict settings.

In addition to teaching and researching at the Institute for Dispute Resolution, University of Victoria, she plays a leadership role in community restorative justice, consults widely in health and education sectors, and has a private practice in clinical psychology.

Her two published books are Smoking and Human Behaviour (ed. with T. Gale, London: John Wiley) and True and False Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse (ed., New York: Brunner Mazel); her peer-reviewed publications include subject areas such as conflict as discourse, the role of structure and agency in conflict, and family conflict in the legal system.

Over the past four years, Dr. Ney has consulted in post-conflict Balkans to World Islamic Relief, International Education for Peace, Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, The Youth Initiative for Human Rights, and University of Sarajevo.

She is currently researching how collaborative decision-making models in child protection in BC impact the lives of children, youth, and their families.

Jane Dewing - Treasurer

Jane has a Higher National Diploma (HND) in business studies, College of West London and courses in public sector management at UVic and in public relations, leadership, and team building. She has completed the Dealing with Conflict, Mediation and Negotiation workshops at the Justice Institute.

Jane is a partner in Urban Aspects. She has over 25 years experience in direct social service delivery, the last 19 of which were as the Executive Director of the Victoria Cool Aid Society – a large non-profit service agency. She is also a business owner providing services to seniors and is on contract with the registrar for assisted living and a board member of Seniors Serving Seniors.

During her years at Cool Aid, Jane was involved in: managing change as a result of constant growth, changing government policies, complex funding mechanisms, innovative and entrepreneurial approaches to alternative service delivery; developing new services that were sensitive to community and client needs through a community development process and in collaboration with other agencies, multiple government ministries and funders; building community and organizational capacity that was sustainable and allowed for constant change and challenge.

Since joining Urban Aspects in 2004 as a consultant, Jane has undertaken a number of projects in the areas of assisted living /housing, homelessness, community development and non profit sector business plans.

Over the years, she has also been an active volunteer in the community. She served for 6 years on the board of the BC Non Profit Housing Association, on the Minister’s Advisory Committee for Affordable Housing for 7 years, as well as on the City of Victoria Social and Housing Committees for a total of 9 years.

Other board involvement includes: Shelter Net BC, CEDCO’s Housing Trust Advisory, and the Victoria Steering Committee on Homelessness representing Housing Providers.

Jane has been invited to participate in numerous federal, provincial and local task forces and advisories.

Terri Cohen

Terri is a partner at Harris & Company in Vancouver where she represents boards of education throughout British Columbia, as well as the BC School Trustees Association, the BC Public School Employers’ Association, and the British Columbia Government.

During the past twenty years she has acted as legal counsel before tribunals and courts in British Columbia and she routinely provides advice on a wide range of legal and policy issues impacting on students, parents, and the public education sector in the areas of school law, labour and employment law, constitutional law, human rights, and administrative law.

In addition to her legal practice she has taught education law and constitutional law at universities in Canada, the United States and Australia, and has written a number of books and articles regarding school law, human rights, special education, and children’s rights.

Her most recent book is Canada’s Legal Revolution: The Impact of the Charter on Public Education.

The child is not only someone who has to be protected, but someone who has a right to respect and consideration of his or her own dignity.

Judith Karp, Former Rapporteur of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Caring for Indigenous Children Capacity Building Workshop, 1996