At the meeting on Monday, 16^th July our guest speakers were Helen Glanville and Bronwyn Chant from Second Chances SA.

 

We also welcomed  Helen Paul as a visitor.

 

Second Chances SA is a non-profit volunteer organisation dedicated to giving people a ‘second chance’ in South Australia.

 

They help prisoners turn their lives around so they don’t go back to crime.  At the same time we divert prisoners’ kids (PKs) from entering Juvenile Detention through early intervention programs.

 

Second Chance programs are custom-designed to equip prisoners,  prisoners’  children and their  whole families to create better futures for themselves.

Volunteers visit prisoners and offer them help and friendship and encourage them to make the decisions to turn their life around.

 

The families of prisoners are greatly affected mentally,  socially and materially by the imprisonment of a partner.  They  face loss of income,  social isolation and suffer in many  other ways.

 

The Second Chance  Family Care Team volunteers are devoted to supporting  the spouses and children.

 

The children of prisoners are particularly affected.  They are the innocent victims and have many problems to face.  Children  have lost the support of one and in some cases both parents and often have anti social behaviour due to the problems and the circumstances  they are facing.  Research shows that children of prisoners are seven times more likely to become offenders themselves.  

 

The Volunteers are able to find the children and offer support and home visits.  They will often assist the schools with helping these children.  There are Mentoring Camps,  and  it is facilitated that the children are given Christmas and Birthday presents from the parent.

 

“The health of a community relies heavily on the health of it’s prison system. Millions of our tax dollars are invested into the justice system that sees many reoffend because of lack of support. Investing into programs that encourage rehabilitation and restoration into the community not only saves money, but makes our society a safer place to live.”