Adoption Arena
advocacy - training - community
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WELCOME
​Thank you for joining us. Please do enjoy the site and do share with us your thoughts.
Joy Carter joins Carlton Baxter to discuss her rollercoaster life, which started when she was discovered as a baby in the Nigerian Civil war.
Woman Alive Magazine exclusive 3 page article and cover about Adoption Arena and my adoption Story. Purchase a copy online just follow the link
Enjoy a selection of tweets from our talks & Seminars - Beyond Black Lives Matter Transracial Adoption; A Personal Reflection, Diversity and Difference and Wellbeing Wealth.
Joy Carter joins Carlton Baxter to discuss her rollercoaster life, which started when she was discovered as a baby in the Nigerian Civil war.
About Joy
Adoption Arena was founded in June 2014 along with the launch event called 'Comics4Adoption', the show attracted the media as it was the first of it's kind - a comedy show featuring comedians who had been adopted, fostered or in care see showreel
Opportunities to speak on the BBC World Service, BBC Radio London 94.9Fm and LBC followed and Adoption Arena was born! Then Fast forward to 2021 and we are now in a great time of change. Join us.
Change is painful, challenging but exhilarating. If we work together we have the opportunity to build a better future for us all and the next generation of adoptees and adoptive parents.
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Who is Joy Carter, Adoption Arena founder?
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I am an EMMA-nominated (*Ethnic multicultural media award) comedian, writer, speaker and adoption advocate: Joycarter.co.uk
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I was adopted myself from Nigeria. Since 2006 I started my adoption advocacy work as a speaker and campaigner on adoption issues, currently I've just delivered a seminar for Government organisation Cafcass as well as working closely alongside AdoptionUK, YouCanAdopt and CoramBaaf to name few.
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In 2012 I took my concerns for more political engagement with adoption to Parliament and was able to work with various MP's, think tanks and organisations discussing changes of policy, such as the 2012 abolishment of the 'colour matching' placement policy.
I now we have many celebrity supporters, adoption advocates, personal friends in politics and the media who support this work.
The only way to build is together.
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OUR WORK
Our work
“There are tens of thousands of children in the UK who will grow up in the care of the state. Some will be adopted, most will be cared for by foster carers and keep in touch with their families. 1 in 4 people have a connection with adoption and fostering, but we could do so much more to bring people together to understand, help and support this disparate community.
This website has the potential to support and grow a real social network, one that can provide information, challenge myths and stereotypes, and help adopted and fostered children right through to adulthood, because being a child is only the beginning of their story.”
Harvey Gallagher, Chief Executive. Nationwide Association of Fostering Providers
Our Aims
1. To use our podcast and blog to discuss the complexity in adoption, unite and help create and train more adoption and fostering influencers to give voice to more discussion, interaction and traction in all areas of society.
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2. Using the creative arts we plan to offer exclusive training courses Clips on PDF
3. We desire to create more 'Experts with Experience' in this field, society and government. As organisations learn to work more productively and powerfully with young people and adults, lasting change will be developed.
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5. To reach and educate the adoption, fostering voice into new demographics of society, and into countries where adoption and fostering is still underdeveloped.
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‘Joy mines a rich seam of gold’
Lemn Sissay OBE
Poet, Playwright, broadcaster speaker
Training and seminars
‘When talking about impact, outcome, action Joy brings all of this and more! Her passion presented through her lived experience truly energises her audience and captures hearts and minds. Joy is refreshing and compelling and a true champion of how society tackles oppression, and inclusion’
Simon Homes, Principal Social Worker, Community Well Being and Social Care Directorate, Isle of Wight Council
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Transracial Adoption: A Personal Reflection
Drawing powerfully on my own recollections I shed some light on the complexities and intricate bonds that make up transracial adoption, DNA bonding, and identity lost and found and much more.
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Beyond Black Lives Matter is designed to help social workers and organisations develop better communications around adoption, transracial adoption, placements, assessments and helping families and young people find their identity.
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Diversity and Difference is a powerful unifying seminar that's FUN! Aimed at any team, seminar or conference group that want to expand their understanding discussing difference, language and identity.
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‘What a treat to be listening to Joy Carter’
Tanya More, Principal Social Worker, Hertfordshire County Council
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Wellbeing Wealth We look at ways to develop your own 'Wellbeing Toolkit' and develop it into your workplace, families, and young people. This is either a stand-alone seminar or combined with both other seminars.
‘Super thought provoking’ Social Work strategy and development officer/principal social worker, Wakefield Rachel Jennings
All seminars come with pre-course reading, an interactive power point presentation, slides for all attendees, notes and post-seminar study.
Why not checkout our PDF file for more info
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*And/or please get in contact for a more detailed breakdown of the seminars, training and fees.
* message us for bookings and enquiries.