Seasons and Greetings

Welcome to Season's and Greetings! Today we welcome the wonderful Shefali Chandra (Jean Hollis married name) to share with us about her incredible life story, my name is Joy Carter today we discuss Shefali's early life in care, how she coped, overcame great difficulty facing her issues of dual heritage, and loss of her identity and birth family. Over many years she is a now is a pioneer helping other's who are marginalised in society today and working closely as an advocate for Dr Barnados We are also honoured to welcome our special Intro guest voice Chukumeka (Chukes) Maxwell, Founding Director & CEO Action To Prevent suicide he shares his thoughts on what a pioneering Spirit means to him. You can find out more about his amazing work at: www.actiontopreventsuicide.org Charity Project www.goodwillatps.org.uk Find out more about his life saving work.Here is the podcast time breakdown0-13Show intro and Shefali explains her humble beginnings and life in foster care.Shefali Chandra is Dual Heritage of Scottish mother and Indian father. Placed into the care of Dr Barnardo's homes as baby. Long-term fostered. She had a career in the Army, and worked in a FE college as a counsellor. Shefali currently Sits on National council of Barnardo's for Old Girls and Boys and has written work on her personal transracial journey that been included in several publications on the subject of adoption. 13 - 30Shefali’s life journey has left her passionate about helping others find their own voices and different ways to communicate and working with those who are marginalised in some way.We discuss what changes could be brought into help reform the system, how can things be improved for care leavers and young people in the foster care system as a whole especially as they navigate into adult life.30 – 44The Adoption Quiz! This new podcast feature is a short life journey inspirational quiz to find out more about our quests experience and for you too - so why not join in. This is both fun and moving for Shefali as she delivers some powerful wisdom about her foster family and how she confronted some difficult issues.I also ask: What is your favourite colour? What are you most proud of overcoming in your life so far? The rest of the quiz will be in a special podcast in series 3 when I interview other adults and young people in the adoption and care sphere.45 - 50We discuss life 'Seasons and Greetings' how can the natural seasons help us understand the challenging seasons we all have in our life of Winter to Spring to Summer.50Summing up.And if you are interested in Shefali and her creative work please please visitVamos Theatre Company Thank you for listeningPlease do share your thoughts on this amazing episode! Subscribe and let others knowWe look forward to hearing from you again,Adoption Arena Podcastxx 

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Adoption Arena focuses on discussing the complex and ever changing issues that affect adoptees, foster families and those who are linked with the adoption and fostering world in some way. We are based in the UK but overseas adoptions mean that more understanding of multi-cultural families and ethnicity is often required for young people and families to really flourish. This programme is hosted by Joy Carter, who is herself a transracial adoptee from Nigeria to the UK arriving in London at the age of 2. ‪ Every adoptee needs the pioneering spirit to overcome firstly their own life challenges that stem from adoption and the many complexities that occur. Adoption Arena desires to help create more voices, people sharing their stories to the media and press, we wish to create more advocates and pioneers to help shape the adoption arena for the good. As in the UK 1 in 4 adoptions breakdown, 1 in 4 adoptees suffer from mental health issues and or self harm, over 64% of adoptees/fostered young people end up in state prisons, few adoptees go onto higher education.. The shocking statistics speak for themselves. Africans say it takes a village to raise a child. This is true. We could all do more and this podcast will help give you the tools to help yourself, support a loved one and educate a friend. Please listen, share and subscribe - your support makes this happen and is very much cherished. Thank you. Adoption in the UK affects a quarter of the population! Cancer is 1 in 3. Adoption is that common and yet their is still much ignorance, bullying and silence around the subject. Things are getting a little better, but we could all do more to help people and see those and other shocking statistics fall. Love starts with a conversation and ends with an action of love and hope. 'The journey is essential to the dream' St Francis of Assisi wisely said. The Western culture is obsessed with the dream and success but without diligence, wisdom, understanding, knowledge and careful cultivation of a young person or adult then the fullness of the dream isn't even nearly realised. Pioneers need not just purpose, but all those factors. This podcast is committed to helping young people achieve greatness - the ability to be authentically themselves, love others and find healing from an often difficult start in life. Thank you so much for reading, listening and sharing some time with us. Together with your help, we can build a better tomorrow that starts today. Instagram: @AdoptionArenaPodcast Twitter: @AdoptionArena Website: AdoptionArena.com Support our work: Paypal.me/adoptionarena