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Post by scaredycats on May 11, 2015 20:43:29 GMT
So it has been a year since our LA paid for our membership to AUK and LO has been with us for 8 months now. Is membership worth it (£51 pa)? I do like to read the magazine which comes out, but I spend more time on this Forum TBH. Thoughts, Pros and Cons please  |
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2015 5:56:13 GMT
You're asking the wrong person here I'm afraid, for obvious reasons, but even if you are not a member you can still visit and read all of the boards.
What extra do you get by being a member apart from the magazine, or is that extra to the £51?
I have yet to hear of any member who has accessed the private boards. It seems as if they keep it a huge secret unlike on here where you earn your right to go in. Does anyone actually use it?
We do have members who use both boards perhaps they can help you decide. I only visit about once a month, have a quick read around and then leave after about 5 minutes. It just doesn't hold my interest anymore, would rather be here instead.
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Post by lilyofthevalley on May 12, 2015 7:47:05 GMT
Before AUK became AUK it was PPIAS. I loved getting the PPIAS magazine. Those were also the days before Boards so the magazine was a lifeline. I never liked the AUK magazine, nor the conference, which I only attended once. So I stopped my membership. I still visit the Boards in case there are any posts that I feel I can respond to.
Lily
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Post by serrakunda on May 12, 2015 8:04:49 GMT
I've let my membership go, it was worth it for me for a few years because I went to lots of Auk workshops and AGM etc which were excellent and discounted for members so the membership fee paid for itself. Now Simba is home I can't go to theses things, the support groups are too far away for me to get to, after the old boards broke down and the community drifted over here and elsewhere, all I was getting was the magazine, which while interesting enough isn't worth £50 or whatever it is. I still visit the boards to impart my vast knowledge and experience  but never post my own stuff because there are so few people there with any experience to offer me. But I go less and less as getting fed up with the constant put downs re 'negative' posts. And to be honest the language that is used with regard to the 'availability of suitable children ' is really annoying me. So for me no longer worth it |
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Post by corkwing on May 12, 2015 8:31:27 GMT
There's a fantastic column in the magazine which you can read nowhere else and is well worth the membership fee on its own. I've found the support groups really helpful, but our current one lapsed when the county decided to run their own. I've heard on the grapevine that someone is setting one up again, and I'm looking forward to that. I've found some of the conferences really good. I'm sad that my wife went so I missed Margot Sunderland, which many people said was fantastic, and I thought Bruce Perry was brilliant. I also really liked meeting up with people there. We've used the helpline and someone who Skyped us and was very supportive and helpful. I've also used the DVD library. I've done some of the training courses, but didn't find them particularly helpful to be honest. And I think that AUK have done some fantastic campaigning. I'd suggest that, if it weren't for them, we probably would not have the adoption support fund and pupil premium plus. For a number of parliaments (under Labour and the coalition) the difficulties of traumatised kids has been recognised and all parties have tried to start to address them. I believe that Adoption UK have been in the forefront of getting that message across and, for me, that's worth the money. |
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Post by caledonia on May 12, 2015 9:37:20 GMT
hi
I am a member of adoption UK and will continue to be for the reasons Corkwing mentioned even though these things often don't make it to Scotland and I think Adoption UK should do more here. Interestingly I don't go on the boards there much now and did not know there was a private board for members!
I also pay for children who wait even though I don't get it as I would hate to think this for lack of funding this service was to fold.
I guess its up to each person to make up their own mind.
Cale
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Post by bop on May 12, 2015 11:00:57 GMT
I was a member and got a lot from the old forums plus there was a fantastic team in the Scotland office that organised family events and gave specific advice on scottish issues - however theat team all left and the replacements don't have adoption experience, the forums "died" and I perceive Adoption UK is now more about promoting adoption than suporting adopters, so we cancelled our membership earlier this year. Saying that I still get the emails and have access to the private board of their forums (whch are too quiet to be useful!). I do miss the magazine a little but decided it wasn't worth the money.
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Post by mudlark on May 12, 2015 13:21:59 GMT
I rarely use the AUK forums, as I find the support and vast experience on here fantastically relevant, helpful, supportive and insightful, I have not found the same of the AUK forum.
However I do continue to pay the membership fee for the points Corkwing made regarding their campaigning ( and his wonderful column of course)
I also find that Mr M, while he doesn't seem comfortable with 'forums' per se, is comfortable with reading the magazine and this is helpful to keep in in the loop so to speak.
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Post by bop on May 12, 2015 14:44:54 GMT
And I think that AUK have done some fantastic campaigning. I'd suggest that, if it weren't for them, we probably would not have the adoption support fund and pupil premium plus. For a number of parliaments (under Labour and the coalition) the difficulties of traumatised kids has been recognised and all parties have tried to start to address them. I believe that Adoption UK have been in the forefront of getting that message across and, for me, that's worth the money. Sadly their campaigning seems to be limited to England and Wales - adoption support is not even on the agenda in Scotland.... |
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Post by serrakunda on May 12, 2015 16:12:39 GMT
The campaigning thing is a good point and why I kept my membership going for a year or so, unfortunately my renewal date was November, eventually Santa expenses had to take priority.
I know it's not much in the grand scheme of things but sometimes budgets are tight, I used to donate by monthly direct debit to three charities but had to cancel.
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Post by scaredycats on May 12, 2015 17:27:39 GMT
Thanks so much for all your replies.
I don't go on the AUK forums but get the magazine and e-newsletter.
Corkwing - I always read your column first!
I presume one can find out about training courses on their website?
Mudlark - I take your point re DH being more likely to read the magazine than visit a forum, thanks.
Will discuss with DH...
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Post by larsti on May 13, 2015 17:51:23 GMT
Well our membership always seems to lapse for a while before I remember to renew it. Once I phoned up to request a book from the library to discover we weren't members so renewed at that point.
I like the magazine but having said that, it stands to reason that many features will not be relevant to us (prospective adopters info would be a case in point).
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Post by daffin on May 14, 2015 5:58:35 GMT
I phoned the helpline a couple of days ago and found them supportive and helpful. They gave me details of organisations I'd never heard of before (who were in turn very helpful).
I think you can use the helpline without being a member but I think if you can afford membership it's a good thing to support, along with the lobbying etc that Corkwing and others mention.
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but never post my own stuff because there are so few people there with any experience to offer me. But I go less and less as getting fed up with the constant put downs re 'negative' posts. And to be honest the language that is used with regard to the 'availability of suitable children ' is really annoying me. 
