2nd Chance Foundation - A Brief Description

There is an old saying "There go I but for the grace of God."

If life is about choices, then the skill of life and the chances of a successful life are based in our ability to make good choices. Where this is lacking due to poor living and learning conditions (especially as children), people go on to live destructive lives of despair; We believe that people have the ability to 're-learn' life's major lessons so as to become law abiding and contributing members of society, and to go on to have full and enjoyable lives.

Born in the belief that private citizens can make a difference to the plight of those desperately poor or displaced from society, the 2nd Chance foundation was created to be a means to meaningful change for people currently considered a problem to society.

Understanding that their plight and condition can be overwhelming and off putting to most, it should not bar us from seeing their humanity nor ours in them and their condition. We are bound by the social contract to treat with these people with dignity and respect even if their condition is of their own doing and despite their own lack of self respect in some of their choices.

We must start from the position of what all human beings are entitled to, and that sadly some people make bad choices because they were taught to make them. This must not be about blame as we are all creatures of conditioning.

The initial target group that this foundation wants to assist are the homeless, and we hope to do this by social re-engineering through education and counseling.

Where rehabilitation and deep therapy are required we intend to offer these services as well to the substance addicted, and it is only the certifiably and clinically insane will we pass on to the State to house and treat, again hopefully with dignity and respect.

We believe that by taking in the homeless and the substance addicted we could free the St. Ann's Hospital and other institutions to specialize in mental health patients without the distraction of the other conditions.

Our plan in a nutshell:

Human beings operate on many levels and are driven to make choices based on conditioning and learned behavior.

Where and when thought processes are damaged due to harsh rearing conditions and negative growth environments, we end up with members of society who appear to be able to play that part but who are severely challenged due to a lack of important social skills which may be further compounded by violent and exaggerated sexual responses based on the extremes demonstrated in popular culture.

The 2nd Chance Foundation principally hopes to be a re-learning environment where it's 'clients' (we would rather use that term instead of patient or inmate) are helped to unlearn past negative conditioning and given the opportunity to learn viable skill sets and the ability to function effectively in any social environment.

Utilizing therapy, counseling, chores, exercise and education, successful formerly 'untouchables' would be allowed to re-engineer themselves into contributing members of society and would 'graduate' out of the Foundation with 'school leaving certificate' level of education or higher, basic knowledge of a musical instrument, basic knowledge of a foreign language, understanding in the values of proper nutrition and exercise, the concept of discipline through commitments (such as daily chores and responsibilities) as well as a commercial trade from which they could go on to earn a living.

Upon graduating the former clients are allowed a stay of up to a year to 'transition' out of the program by finding employment and a home.These former clients will 'pay' for their room and board by working with new 'clients' and hopefully cross-pollinate at the most basic level the value of true personal change.

We have already discussed this program with major private sector companies that are keen to get on board, who are willing to offer internships with a view to full employment during the 'transition' phase, and who are prepared to offer their assistance during the training part of the program so as to prepare hopeful candidates for a position with them upon completion of the program and graduation. We intend to make this program available to all Chambers of Commerce, all Educational Institutions and all other social and commercial bodies so as to create positive links and avenues for the clients in the program upon graduation. 

If successful, the Foundation hopes to expand to deal with sentenced serial petty criminals whom the State (through the Magistrates and Judges) may believe that re-conditioning and re-training may offer a better long term solution to them and to the society as a whole rather than custodial sentences, and there are many positives for these young men (and women) graduating from a designed and focused program rather than being released back into society from a hostile and degrading facility.

 What we need:

This program hopes to partner with the Government as the qualitative gains can be multiplied exponentially based on State support as well as in legislation to allow for this program to hold and treat wards of the State.

We hope that in our first Graduation Ceremony to have the Government represented as well as Captains of Industry and even educational facilities that may want to offer follow on programs from which those who have demonstrated specific aptitudes may benefit.

This program can only be a success if we can rely on the support of the society as a whole to embrace and help our brothers and sisters when they emerge from their stay reborn, and the concept of my brother's keeper is required if the new knowledge and skill sets are to take root and regrow beautiful happy people where those considered problems to society once stood.

Closing:

If successful, this program will be a win/win/win as society, the government and the clients will all benefit immediately, and this positive redevelopment may hopefully take root among others, spreading a message of hope and opportunity among those formerly deemed 'at risk' and a bother like ripples in the water.

We can never have social responsibility if we don't first practice personal responsibility, and it is in this knowledge that we are guided.

While this country has its share of problems it is blessed with an overwhelming number of good people, and it is from their energy and their hope we base all of our ideals and aspirations.

We believe this mountain is not only worth climbing but that we have what it takes to climb it.

"One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth doing is what we do for others."

— Lewis Carroll