About

Caring Solutions provides a range of workforce solutions to support the health, community and not-for-profit sectors. Offering customised training, facilitation for public and community meetings, stakeholder consultation, reviews and evaluations, team building, service development and leadership coaching.

I bring 20 years’ experience working in the health and community sectors leading teams as a clinician, middle management and as an executive director. I am all about the frontlines of the health, not for profit and community sector. The clinicians, client service workers, the volunteers, the community leaders and the community engagement teams. You are my people. I want to help you thrive in your career and the causes you put your time and energy into.

CARING SOLUTIONS

Collaborative

Strengths Focused

Authentic

Curiosity

Reflection

Self Determination

WHY CARING SOLUTIONS?

I care. I care about my clients. I care about the communities and causes you serve. I care about helping you find the solutions that work for you. I pride myself in taking great care in everything I do. I believe people often have the solutions however can benefit from outside perspective and guidance to harness the potential of what’s possible. I have done the work, I’ve had positive and negative experiences and I know the challenges. I’d like to be part of your solution.

WHO I'M HERE FOR

I am all about the frontlines of the health, not for profit and community sector. The clinicians, client service workers, the volunteers, the community leaders and the community engagement teams.

I care about the caring professions who do such important work. You are my people. I want to help you thrive in your career and the causes you put your time and energy into.

MY VISION

I long for a values-driven, ethical, and nurturing sector that supports its greatest asset. It’s people. I want to support the talented, driven, passionate individuals and teams to help them stay in the sector, receive recognition for their talents, advance in their careers and make a difference to their communities and causes.

Throughout my career I have seen valuable people burnout, not fully realise their potential, be overlooked for career advancement due to limited resources, unsupportive leadership and at times toxic work cultures.

I have the desire to utilise my vast passion, education and experience in group facilitation, training, and leadership coaching to support the people in small to medium not-for-profit organisations and community groups.

I want to help others to rise to their potential and be the leaders that make a difference to the lives of clients, communities and the advancement of the health and community sectors.

I want to empower emerging leaders to gain the self belief, skills and confidence to advance in their careers and lead the way for others.

I am especially passionate about the advancement of women, returning mums and increasing the diversity of people in management.

As people working in not-for-profit, it can often feel like we are required to be a “jack of all trades” and expected to do more with less. With limited budgets, increasing workloads and the pressure of competition and to professionalise we often find ourselves having to learn new skills quickly in order to manage our teams and further our causes.

I believe the community and not for profit sector and that it’s people are deserving of investment. I have benefited from training, coaching and mentors in my career. As a result I have taken up opportunities I might not have envisioned for myself and had the privilege of working on innovative and rewarding programs. I want that for others.

I am here for the caring professions.

SARAH LAMBERT

I have 20 years’ experience working within the health and community sector. A trained occupational therapist who worked as a clinician within government and community organisations where I specialised in mental health, alcohol and other drugs and sexual health. I moved into community development and health promotion leading state-wide and national projects including in ageing, disability, domestic and family violence, mental health, alcohol and other drugs and LGBTQ+ inclusion. Initiatives included social media campaigns, community resources, peer/lived experience support, training and workforce development, evidence-based client services, and action research projects.

I have led the development of programs including two social fee-for-service social enterprises as a director in one of Australia’s leading community organisations. I enjoy the creativity of developing service models, innovative programs and fostering individuals and teams.
I have held senior clinician roles, been middle management and an executive as a director in one of Australia’s leading not-for-profit. In those capacities I have appeared at parliamentary inquiries and sat on government, sector and research institute advisory committees as a subject matter expert contributing to policy development and
evidence-based practice research.

I have experience managing dynamic teams, peer, and volunteer networks. I have experience working with multi-disciplinary teams and across divisions/departments and in partnership with diverse government, community, and corporate stakeholders. This has included working with regional, rural, and remote teams and their communities.

Throughout my career I have delivered workforce development initiatives including the formation of new services, clinical redesigns, and restructures. I have a keen interest in leading transformative change that takes people forward contributing to the solutions and am committed to doing so with compassion.

I hold a bachelor’s in health sciences (occupational therapy), masters health sciences (alcohol and other drugs major), an advanced diploma in community sector management and certificate IV workplace training.

I HAVE EXPERIENCED

The rewards of playing a role in clients taking brave steps to achieve their goals

The privilege of gaining peoples trust and hearing the
sometimes-heart-breaking stories of everyday people facing extraordinary challenges

The push and pull of wanting the best for your clients, community and teams but being limited by resources

Being a member of and leading dynamic, innovative teams delivering leading edge programs

Being an emerging leader wanting to up skill to grow in confidence and meet the challenges of new roles

Managing boundaries while utilising my lived experience
working within my own communities as a professional in community-based organisations

Juggling the competing priorities, stakeholder
expectations and risks of management

The frustration and disappointment of poor leadership
and toxic workplaces