Associate Professor Jenni Mays

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Associate Professor, Faculty of Health

PhD (Queensland University of Technology), Master of Arts (Research) (Queensland Inst. of Technology)

Dr Jennifer Mays is a senior lecturer at the School of Public Health and Social Work in the Faculty of Health at Queensland University of Technology. She has extensive professional and academic experience working in the disability government, non-government and community sectors spanning two decades. Dr Mays is recognised as an international expert on basic income and social policy. She worked in direct service with non-government disability agencies, not-for profit community development spaces, and disability policy and program areas in government. In her roles with government, Dr Jennifer Mays was involved in, and led, projects that shaped policy directions across disability programs, quality in service delivery, program development, social action and advocacy. Her professional expertise informs her academic work and includes critical social policy, program development and evaluation, national and international community work and direct practice across government and non-government sectors. Dr Jennifer Mays is also Academic Lead of Education for the School of Public Health and Social Work. Plus, she is involved in the coordination and teaching of the postgraduate social work masters unit, community and policy practice. Since joining QUT she has been committed to the development of engaged teaching and learning environments to support adult learners to engage with critical concepts, apply critical theory through experiential activities and undertake critical reflection/evaluation. Dr Jennifer Mays' research is designed to enhance the social justice, citizenship and well being of all people with disabilities, especially women with disabilities across international, national and local contexts. Her areas of research expertise include disability social policy (income support) and research, disability social theory, comparative policy analysis and discourse analysis  with an emphasis on qualitative paradigms, and feminist studies (prevention of violence against women with disabilities).  She is editor of the book Basic Income in Australia and New Zealand: Perspectives from the Neoliberal Frontier.  As well as her academic duties, Dr Jennifer Mays also plays a central role in the coordination of the Basic Income Guarantee Australia(BIGA) website which provides a repository and forum for ideas discussion, information sharing and research contribution to social policy basic income.

Additional information

Invited speaker, broadcast interviews and panel discussions
2016: invited keynote speaker, Symposium on ‘Basic income in Canada and Australia: Building political support and designing for the real world’, Nov. 24, 2016 at Winnipeg Harvest, Canada. Collaboration with University of Manitoba and Basic income network Canada.

2016: National Disability Summit. Invited key speaker, Sydney 11-12 March 2016. Presentation Title: Building an evidence base for transforming disability services delivery and the engagement between university and services in supporting research for transformation.

2016: Invited panel member for International Symposia at Joint World Conference on Social Work Education and Social Development 2016 Seoul, Korea, 27-30 June 2016. Presentation Title: Mays, J. Securing economic freedom and dignity through the basic income proposal for women with a disability experiencing domestic violence for the panel discussion theme title “Basic Income: a Path to Equitable Social Policy and Effective Social Work Practice.”

2015: Broadcast interview. Invited speaker. Topic: Basic income in Australia, 8th International Basic Income Week on Annie Gaffney’s Program, ABC Radio (Sunshine Coast, Queensland).

2012: Invited keynote address, Mays, J., & King, J. Presentation Title: Recognising difference: The social and cultural construction of (intellectual) disability. QUT/BOLD Disability Symposium ‘Realising hopes and dreams of parents with intellectual disability, 19-20 November, Brisbane: QUT.

1998: Broadcast interview. Invited speaker. Topic: Research study on perceptions of domestic violence against women with disabilities on Community Radio (South Australia).

Research reports
Marston, G., Davisdson, D., Mays, J., & Johnson-Abdelmalik, J. (2015). No wrong door: The Salvation Army Doorways Case Management services. Brisbane: QUT.

Journal Reviewer
The Review of Disability Studies Health Promotion International Australian Journal of Social Issues Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health

Selected refereed conference papers and abstracts
Mays, J. Basic income and the prospects for innovation in social and economic modelling post neoliberalism: Potentials for Australia.  For Conference Proceedings BIEN Congress Seoul, Sth Korea, June 2016.

Mays, J. (2005a). Employment and disability: Some emerging questions. In G. Wrightson (Ed.), Creating a Culture of Full Employment incorporating the 7th Path to Full Employment Conference and 12th National Conference on Unemployment Proceedings (pp. 243-253) Newcastle, Australia: The University of Newcastle.

Mays, J. (2005b). Income support for people with a disability. In C. Bailey & K. Barnett (Eds.), Social Change in the 21st Century 2005 Conference Proceedings. Brisbane, Australia: Centre for Social Change Research, School of Humanities & Human services, Queensland University of Technology.

Mays, J. (2001). Extending Mutual Obligation: Women with a Disability Experiencing Domestic Violence and Breaches to Activity Tests. 8th National Unemployment Virtual Conference: Unemployment, Assistance Programs and Working Poor. Refereed paper submitted to virtual conference, October, 2001.

Consultancies
Mays, J., & Duthie, D. (2014). AAF Indonesian women human rights defenders (IWHRD): Policy development in women’s rights. AusAID Fellows Program 13 & 16 May, QUT, Brisbane

Duthie, D., & Mays, J. (2014). AAF Indonesian women human rights defenders (IWHRD). Case management. AusAID Fellows Program 15 May, QUT, Brisbane

King, J., Mays, J., & Edwards, N. (2013). Women and disability Tanzania 2013. A short workbook on United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, gender, leadership, advocacy and awareness. School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health, QUT, Brisbane

Mays, J., & King, J. (2013). Women and disability Tanzania 2013. Workshop on United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, gender, leadership, advocacy and awareness. School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health, QUT. Conducted in-country Tanzania 5-21 October 2013

King, J., & Mays, J. (2013). The Disability Context, Disability Services and Social Support in Australia. Taiwan and China Delegations (29 July & 15 August 2013). School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health. QUT, Brisbane

Mays, J., & King, J. (2013). AusAID Australian Leadership Award Fellows. (ALAF). Implementation of Inclusive Development in Myanmar (Burma) Program: Disability Inclusive Development and Leadership 15 April to 1 May 2013. School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health. QUT, Brisbane

Mays, J., & King, J. (2013). Public Sector Linkage Package (PSLP) (AusAID). (2012). Disability and Human Rights in Developing Countries: Philippines, 3-5 June 2013. School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health. QUT, Brisbane

King, J., & Mays, J. (2012). AusAID Australian Leadership Award Fellows. (ALAF). (2012). Disability: Leadership and advocacy: Fostering inclusive development, advocacy and promotion of rights in Tanzania and Ghana. School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health. QUT, Brisbane

Mays, J., & King, J. (2012). Contextualising Disability in a Global World. Peking University Study Tour Disability Workshop. School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health. QUT, Brisbane

King, J., & Mays, J. (2012). The Guizhou Provincial Office of Human Resources and Social Security Presentation. The Disability Context, Disability Services and Social Support in Australia, 11 December 2012. School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health. QUT, Brisbane

Mays, J., & King, J. (2012). AusAID Australian Leadership Award Fellows. (ALAF). (2012). Disability in Developing Countries. West Africa. School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health. Queensland University of Technology, 15 June 2012. QUT, Brisbane

Awards
2009: QUT Disability Support Award (Equity)
2006: Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Award, 'Team Teaching' category
2006: QUT Carseldine Staff Achievement Award
1996: Golden Key National Honour Society (Qld Chapter)