2nd Opportunity provides transformational tools, courses, resources, and support to help those dealing with incarceration, addiction, trauma, loss, and other life-changing circumstances to rebound from seemingly insurmountable setbacks and start down a positive new path.
The 2nd Opportunity Program is designed for men and women inside jails and prisons preparing for release, as well as those on the outside who are formerly incarcerated and struggling to gain traction.
This series of courses, available in both English & Spanish, is designed to provide employment readiness, life skills, and re-entry assistance to those who are currently incarcerated and seeking to change the trajectory of their lives. 2nd Opportunity staff are a team of passionate individuals with a deep knowledge of the challenges and barriers that must be confronted upon return to society.
The team's lived experience helps them to serve currently incarcerated individuals through first-hand knowledge, self-awareness, peer support, mentoring, access to a referral network for employment, housing, and counseling services. All of the program's material is based on a combination of real-world experience and academic research, and presentations are conducted by those with lived experience. Learn more about 2nd Opportunity.
The 2nd Opportunity program includes 5 rigorous courses and 7 accompanying worksheets.
A Path Forward
A Path Forward is geared toward anyone seeking a restart: people faced with rebuilding their lives as they work to overcome incarceration, addiction, and trauma. Communication, Conflict Resolution, and Interviewing Skills are covered in detail. Much of this course focuses on employment readiness and finding a place in today’s job market.
A Path to Financial Freedom
A Path to Financial Freedom is a financial literacy course instructed through the lens of someone needing to rebuild following a lengthy sentence. The material covers the fundamentals of functioning in today’s financial world. Basic skills covered include opening a checking account, budgeting, obtaining insurance, acquiring an automobile, filing taxes, applying for financial aid, filling out employment forms, establishing credit, and securing housing, with detailed explanations of the different challenges and solutions.
Values-Aligned Goal Setting
Values-Aligned Goal Setting focuses on helping the participants construct their personal Re-entry Plan. Throughout this course, individuals will determine their values and be assisted in defining their Bedrock and Building Goals, as well as determining the specific activities necessary to pursue those goals. The focus will be on career path development, housing plans, relationship building and repair, and identification of potential obstacles to reintegrating into society.
A Path to Advance Skills
A Path to Advance Skills is designed to raise awareness and encourage participation in the apprenticeship programs that are offered within state and federal prisons. The many apprenticeships offered, all of which combine academic courses with actual work experience inside prison walls, allow individuals to pursue something of interest to them, increasing their chances of successful re-entry. The participants will know how to continue the career path into meaningful employment upon release.
A Path to Higher Education
A Path to Higher Education helps participants understand how they can access higher education during and post-incarceration. There are different options available to currently incarcerated individuals in pursuing higher education. The course provides assistance in understanding Pell Grants (again available to incarcerated individuals), the value of certificate programs, walks individuals through the process of completing the FAFSA, and prepares individuals for the challenges of taking classes on the inside. This course also encourages GED completion.
2nd Opportunity
2nd Opporunity Program includes five robust courses and six additional supplementary worksheets and resource companion guides.
"I know firsthand the pain I caused my family and friends as a was locked up to serve a 13 year sentence. I know the stress and anxiety I felt when trying to figure out how I was going to get back on my feet with employment, housing, rebuilding relationships, and the burden of probation. I know the frustration I felt without knowing how I would be able to resume a “normal” life.
I spent my time on the inside teaching classes to fellow inmates. I listened to the challenges faced by the men who left and came back to prison. When I released in 2017 I created the 2nd Opportunity Program. Real answers, real hope, real tools, and real experience to help those coming behind me. Five courses that provide Completion Certificates. Thanks to technology this program is available through tablets and families and loved ones can provide these courses to help prepare them for reentry… to get out and stay out.
We offer post release support including referrals for employment, treatment, training programs, and other essential services. Check out our website and please consider bringing hope with a plan to your incarcerated loved one." - Augie Ghilarducci, President & CEO of 2nd Opportunity.