IF YOU tell Jane Bell something can't be done, you can bet she will do it — and it will be achieved in an innovative way on a shoestring budget and it will probably be replicated throughout the voluntary sector.

You see, Jane (pictured) is the type of person who likes a challenge. She likes problem solving and sorting out a difficult situation.

Jane came to South Devon with an outstanding record in her field having given up her London lifestyle and job as the deputy chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society to set up the South West charity, then called the South West Adult Placement Scheme.

Known as SWAPS, it was established in 2004 as an independent voluntary sector agency supported with investment from Devon, Plymouth and Cornwall county councils and Torbay NHS Care Trust.

It provides a wide range of 'shared lives' services to adults with learning disabilities, mental health needs and physical disabilities to older people and people with dementia.

The services include matching adults with a carer in a carer's home, providing shorter breaks and dementia support and care.

The charity name has since changed its name to Shared Lives but the principal remains the same.

Jane's enthusiasm for the charity is tangible and she is keen to shout about it.

"I really want more people to know we are here — I fear so many people may be missing out on something that could change their lives."

Jane says working in the voluntary sector is something she sees herself doing indefinitely.

After studying psychology at Aston University in Birmingham she worked in the city council's social services department, before taking a job with mental illness charity Rethink.

She said: "I found that I did not enjoy the bureaucracy that came with working in local government.

"In the voluntary sector, if I had an idea I could get straight on with it. It was such a different way of working. For me, I knew I would end up working in the voluntary sector forever. I've never regretted my decision to leave local government."

Her time at Rethink was punctuated with success including the charity's pioneering respite hotel in Hampshire, Forresters, where carers and people with mental health problems could stay and enjoy activities in a 'holiday' environment.

She said: "The idea of the project made me rub my hands together in glee. It was the sort of project that I loved.

"Essentially people could stay there and have a hotel experience in gorgeous surroundings but everyone working there was a registered carer.

"We would see people come to Forresters who had a whole range of problems but their stay ignited a spark of confidence. They would grow in personality on a daily basis. It would transform their lives."

She left in 1995 to take up a job with the Alzheimer's Society, a job she loved and still talks about fondly.

She said: "I found myself working on these huge national projects that were making a huge difference to people's lives. One of the biggest challenges for me was in persuading volunteers — a vociferous and passionate section of society — that the professionalism of care services was a good thing.

"In my view, if you can persuade volunteers something is good, then the rest is a doddle."

A decade later and Jane, now mother to two children, found herself at a crossroads. She and her husband Keith, ChildLine's finance director, were working full-time and the children were looked after by a nanny.

Apart from stints of maternity leave and an arthritic episode which required four months off, she had barely stopped working since leaving university.

She said: "I loved my work but I had these two gorgeous children that I wasn't seeing enough of. We sat down and decided that both of us would try to find a job elsewhere which enabled us to spend time as a family.

"I remember saying Devon was as far west as I was prepared to go."

The Shared Lives job was sent to her husband by an agency. Passing it on to Jane, her eyes lit up at the prospect of taking what was then a newborn commission and turning it into something big.

She laughs. "I thought 'here's an idea...' — I just could not resist it."

The family upped sticks and moved to Devon so she could get stuck into Shared Lives.

She said: "Devon County Council really had foresight in how they could do this. It's grown so much."

Last year it won the South West care team of the year award in the regional round of the Great British Care Awards.

The judges said they were 'bowled over' by the 'energy and professionalism' of the team, saying: "They demonstrated how 'shared lives' significantly benefit not just the users of the service but the whole community."

It's a sentiment echoed by Jane, who adds: "This organisation only works because of all the fabulous staff who work so hard and all our amazing Shared Lives carers.

"I am just the chief executive — what I do is not really all that important compared to them."

Shared Lives operates from two sites: it's main premises in Zealley House, Kingsteignton, and an office on a Cornish cauliflower farm.

Leading a more sedate home life in Teignmouth — where she can go home after work and walk on the beach with her children Zachary, 12 and Caitlin, nine — Jane is still drawing on her national experience to build up Shared Lives.

But there is still more to do.

She said: "At the moment we are really urgently seeking new Shared Lives carers in the Teignbridge, Torbay and South Hams areas – we have people wanting to come in but not enough families to meet demand."

Shared Lives South West is hosting a public meeting at Paignton library in Great Western Road on Thursday, November 24 from 2pm to 4pm.

It is an open meeting for anyone wanting to know more about Shared Lives. It will include the showing of some new films featuring Shared Lives households.

To learn more call 01626 360170 or email: enquiries@sharedlivessw. org.uk