2CU Programs Ready to Roll

2nd Chance University is a non-profit organization focusing on youth and adults who have stumbled. Presently we are reaching out to those with a strong desire to make their community safer by offering youths and young adults an alternative to incarceration. This is where we need your help to implement effective programs in a partnership capacity.

Simply put, our 3, 6, and 18-month life-changing programs work, are scalable, and are cost effective.

Through the guidance of criminal justice administrators, facilitators, parole officers, inmates and parolees, 2nd Chance University brings intensive and interactive workshops for three audiences:

1. Youth Reintegration and Empowerment offering the 14 – 17 year old who has fallen off their path a proactive method to regain Commitment, Hope, and Empowerment. This program works in unison with brick and mortar facilities and is customized to parallel with academic goals and objectives of the facility and state.

2. Adult Alternatives to Incarceration allowing the 17 – 24 year old low-level offender to reestablish their path to freedom and success. This program affords Judges and District Attorneys to have an option from incarceration for those who have made a mistake.

3. Adult pre- and post-release brings reality front and center. Constructed by former convicts who have been through pre- and post-release programs, game-playing is not part of the equation. There are no more effective programs to show convicts what it takes to stay on the path, to secure and keep a job, and to become a productive part of the community.

• Each program follows a similar core format:
  Turn-key ready
  Hard print and/or digital friendly
  Eighteen book courseware with an additional facilitator guide
  Individualized train-the-trainer two-day seminar held at our local headquarters in Sanford, Florida, or can be brought to your facility for group advantage.

Personally going through release camps and living the life, many of our contributors know there are no other programs as effective, interactive, and tangible than what is presented by 2nd Chance University.

Our classroom setting in Sanford, Florida handles up to 26 students and is also used for facilitator training workshops.

At your convenience, call for a deeper understanding of what and who 2nd Chance University is and how joining forces will build a better tomorrow, today.

Danny Huffman
407-878-0474
dhuffman@2ndChanceUniversity.org

2nd Chance University: We…

2^nd Chance University has lived its design, writes about what we know concerning our years of empirical findings and shares what works by applying those years of experience living within the criminal justice system.  

Our proprietary methods for altering potential criminal sentences, as well as helping those who have been sentenced to incarceration, builds on a structured methodology which allows those in pretrial and those leaving detention and incarceration to fit into society as a productive citizen.  

Each justice involved person, including Juveniles, may find identity, significance, and purpose in life and to the values their social environment offers. 2^nd Chance University saves money, reduces recidivism and helps build communities by Educating, Empowering and Employing the justice involved.  

We recognize employment is a key factor in helping the justice-involved. 2CU is built upon behavioral modification, trauma centered therapy and holistic approaches to breaking the revolving door of incarceration.

Within three years of being released, 60% of ex-prisoners re-offend and 52% are re-incarcerated, according to a study published in 2014. The rate of recidivism is so high in the United States that most inmates who enter the system are likely to reenter within a year of their release.

Therefore the lock them up and throw away the key methodology is not working as can be seen by the percentage of people going back to prison. 2^nd Chance University gives the justice-involved a solution to this problem. We teach them to learn, earn, and stay out.

Our program addresses the haunting effects of trauma, felt and witnessed horrible experiences attached to their environment. By addressing these issues we uncover the reasoning for many of the justice involved who exhibit a lack of empathy. Therefore the use of Looking Glass Self Theory helps them understand their situation and resonates a new meaning in their life as how to view the social constructs of society in a different and hopeful manner.

The team at 2^nd Chance University relies on proven concepts in order to break this revolving door of recidivism and the continuous cycle of poverty exemplified by incarceration. Our system has been proven and the principals of our program are walking examples of successful reintegration.

For individuals, organizations, and/or institutions dedicated to transforming the world, we are always looking for support and partnerships. Give me a call (407-878-0474) or email (dhuffman@2ndChanceUniversity.org) for insight.

Danny Huffman

Second Chance… Think Again.

“To say is not to do. To do is to say.”
Duck

For those who do not know Duck, he is simply a man.
A man who spent 13 years incarcerated for a crime he did not commit but still walks a path defined by society
unwilling to offer second chances.

We’ve heard it many times and at many levels: “Everybody deserves a second chance.” But what does that really mean? Does society truly offer second chances? Do you, really?

Duck is not a bitter man.
He is simply a man wishing to live his life peacefully
and with equal opportunity.

From employment to housing to EVERYTHING in between, rare are the few offering second chances. Perhaps it is because we all have our own lives to live and who needs “fear” to be in the equation if possible… am I right ladies? Don’t think I need to explain the last line or justify what most think.

For the person, organization, potential employer, and the hypocrite pretending otherwise, stop saying and begin doing. Give others, all others no matter their race or stumbled background, a chance to be the person he or she is meant to be. It’s pretty simple, stopping the madness begins by stopping the talk and doing the do.

Duck is man refusing defeat.
He is simply a man who has been escorted off jobs
in front of crowds because a crime he didn’t commit.

Empowering and employing begins with YOU, not by what you say but by what you do.

I ask one thing from you: Be true to yourself and those around you. Stop the bull, keep what you say real, and if you don’t believe (and live the life) in second chances, stop pretending you do.

Duck, like the millions who have stumbled, will rise to the challenge of humbling himself every step along the journey…
with or without you.

2nd Chance University is a non-profit designed for those who have stumbled within our justice system as they regain their Commitment, Hope, and Empowerment.

Duck is a man offering importance.
His experience, struggles, and story is threaded throughout 2^nd Chance University’s programs inspiring those
who have also stumbled.

We are seeking partnerships to bring our programs to communities across the nation. If you work with or know of organizations, work force centers, penal institutions, and/or judges and district attorneys committed to changing people’s path, bring it on. Together we can change the world, one person at a time.

Danny Huffman
407-878-0474
dhuffman@2ndChanceUniversity.org

 

Balancing Consequence and Intent

But I intended to… not my fault it did not work out as planned.

Looking at my own experience over the years, the gap between intent and consequence is beyond measure; but not beyond the every-moment pain. No doubt we all share the gap; the only difference resides in the degree (of self-deception).

In most aspects we lean toward the side of intent, often ignoring consequence. How do we regain the balance where consequence and culpability are the primary characteristic of who we are?

Intent: a shallow consideration highlighted by mentally laziness or a self-serving delusion.

Consequence: Emotional, psychological, and overall outcome of action — be it in words or in the physical.

Instead of rehashing the past, let’s move on to today and examine one of the core reasons why intent and consequence rarely run parallel: self-delusion.

What is self-delusion? By my definition, it is closed-eye reality where all one sees is the darkness of inner want.

Truth is, the past is the past so now all we can do is come up with a plan to regain balance and live a life where choice and action run closer as one.

Career: When it comes to work, shrugging off responsibility or cleansing your hands by shouldering burdens to another is not a sign balance, this is a sign of self-deception. As a business owner, when tough decisions are needed to be made such as lay-offs or pay increases, I don’t look at employee intent, I evaluate balance between intent and consequence. I look for employees who accept responsibility, who own the mission, who don’t put burdens on fellow peers, and whose intent is consistent with consequence.

Justice-Involved: Our non-profit is about giving second chances and our intense programs have been developed to open eyes, accept responsibility, bring intent and consequences closer, and to secure a path where freedom, respect, and success become part of each person’s core. In this capacity, we hear the stories of “it was not meant to happen this way,” “it’s not my fault,” “there is nothing I can do about my situation,” and so many more excuses pushing intent to the next level… there is no balance within those making excuses for their failure.

Under the umbrella of balancing consequence and intent, there are a few things we can ALL do now to get it right (or at least not so wrong):

• Think BEFORE you do
• Be the other person and consider his/her feelings
• Make a list of what might go wrong and what will happen if it does (and the worst case usually happens – prove me wrong
• Recognize there are only TWO choices: the right thing or the wrong thing

By following the four bullets above, changes will happen in your life… no matter tribulations of the past.

In your career, make choices based upon outer-vision, not inner self-delusion.

For those with a stumbled background, be who you are meant to be, not who others think you have become.

In conclusion, I ask you take the first step: take ownership in your life… only you control YOU, no more excuses or playing the victim.

2^nd Chance University is a non-profit designed for those who have stumbled within our justice system as they regain their Commitment, Hope, and Empowerment.

At current, we are seeking partnerships to bring our programs to communities across the nation. If you work with or know of organizations, work force centers, penal institutions, and/or judges and district attorneys committed to changing people’s path, bring it on. Together we can change the world, one person at a time.

Danny Huffman
2nd Chance University
407-878-0474
dhuffman@2ndChanceUniversity.org

Career Progression: Attitude and Character

During speaking engagements across the country, I’m often asked about tactics to secure career progression. Though responses differ from audience to audience, there remains a shared set to follow.

FAQ #1: Just began an entry-level position, how can I keep the job and let my employer know she made the right choice?

Answer #1: If you were hired, chances are good your employer believes you have the skills to complete the job and WANTS you to succeed. Unfortunately, being able to get the job done doesn’t mean career progression or job security.

• The most qualifying quality new hires can possess is attitude. For those faking attitude, don’t fool yourself, employers are smarter than a first grader. Look at it this way, if you were an employer, would you keep (and promote) employees with a positive attitude, a willingness to follow your guidelines without whining, and an eagerness to learn or would you keep employee who go against the grain and your proven processes?

FAQ #2: I was released from county jail last year and can’t get a job.

Answer #2: There is an indirect relationship between recidivism and employment: higher the employment rate, the lower the recidivism rate. This common reality is often ignored by politicians and businesses (we can get into that issue in upcoming sessions).

Though each justice-involved individual, circumstances, and consequences vary, there remain issues demanding immediate attention:

• Keep it real. You are re-entering an un-friendly environment so best hold dreams on the ground level for now.
• One way to get that job is to increase employer incentives by way of federal government programs and offering your services below cost. Yes, you heard it, consider working at a decreased wage (or even at no wage) for a designated time; getting in the door is more important than watching Jerry Springer!
• Character is key… employers willing to give you an opportunity believe you will do the right thing. Now is the time to represent in a professional, courteous, and respectful manner.

In future articles, we will detail FAQs with real-life examples and open the floor for conversation. For now, we’ll rely on character and attitude to keep us on the right path.

2^nd Chance University is a non-profit designed for those who have stumbled within our justice system as they regain their Commitment, Hope, and Empowerment.

I welcome your stories to be added into our series. If you chose to share or support, email me directly at dhuffman@2ndChanceUniversity.org.

Danny Huffman
321-972-8919

Journey to an NP, Part 2

If you have not checked out the previous submission, you may feel a bit out-paced. Either way, here goes the second part as the journey to a Non Profit continues…

Since 2012 I’ve expanded our non-profit to support three justice-involved categories:

• Youth reintegration and empowerment
• Adult alternatives to incarceration
• Pre- and post- release from incarceration

Six years later, our 4-month, 18-book, series/interactive workshops, are launching mainly because this once 16-year old softball player saw people in La Tuna as people… not as monsters… just people who made a mistake and needs to regain balance and Hope.

Over the years, this journey has had a personal cost of over six figures… the amount returned to cover? Zero… not one cent.

Worth it? You tell me, would you sacrifice years and over six figures with only Hope to make a positive difference in lives, families, and the world?

In this regard, will share participant journeys and how their lives change as we grow.

We are a 501 (C) (3) on the brink of great things… let me know if you would like to share in this journey; your insight, contacts, support, and donations are appreciated.

2^nd Chance University is a non-profit designed for our youth as well as our adult population who have stumbled to regain their Commitment, Hope, and Empowerment.

If you chose to share or support, email me directly at dhuffman@2ndChanceUniversity.org and if you or a family member played softball years ago while at La Tuna, thank you for letting me into your world.

Danny Huffman
Founder
dhuffman@2ndChanceUniversity.org
321-972-8919
2ndChanceUniversity.org

Journey to a Non-Profit

Grew up eye-shot of La Tuna, Federal Correctional Institution, in Vinton, Texas. Living close enough to be part of the environment, I wondered what it was like to be on the inside.

Pushing several years into the future, I became a 16-year old outfielder with a family organized softball team. Scheduled to play against several prison (trustee) teams, we were given the privilege to go inside.

Frightened as our van approached for the first time, this 16-year old imagined hardened muggers, killers, rapists, and all around monsters. No doubt television and culture told me what to expect… I drank the juice.

Too often, reality and truth simply does not mean the same thing. I spoke to several of the monsters on the inside and before long, socially twisted perceptions was replaced with “how could I have gotten it so wrong?”

Backed by a lineage of family, direct and indirect, seeing both sides of freedom, I knew the men and women who have stumbled needed more than social/cultural/employment stigma. Over the years I’ve worked with many on the inside and found their self-perception generally accepted their lives and futures to be fated by loss and failure… where mirror’s reflection is empty of Hope.

Close to 20 years ago I got involved with a company which produced professional development courseware and programs. Though designed for the executive, I knew this was a stepping stone to bridge my path alongside those who have been misplaced along their way.

In 2003 I began the groundwork for 2^nd Chance University but timing (and money) prevented progress. Leaping to 2012, Christian HELP and the Central Florida Jobs Initiative provided a medium to perfect my program and provide an evidence-based system.

Numbers were more than impressive but something was lacking. Upon pushing, was informed these two organizations disqualified those with a justice-involved background from the program I developed.

Months later, we parted ways. At that time, necessity dictated an

E to the 3rd

onward throttle to customize a program for those needing support, guidance, and tools to gain Commitment, Hope, and Empowerment.

Will continue on what happened next shortly. Until then, be kind, be the key,

Danny

Trauma Informed Care, Yesterday to Today

Being a non-profit working with young and old adults involved within the criminal justice system, we hear the term Trauma Informed Care more often than not. As a matter of fact, the term, especially when dealing with alternatives to incarceration, our criminal justice system, and effective reintegration, is in the limelight right now. According to those in the know:

Trauma Informed Care is an organizational structure and treatment framework that involves understanding, recognizing, and responding to the effects of all types of trauma.

I remember growing up and how the word trauma was tagged (exclusively) to a military setting. No doubt, heading off to war can (and often will) directly affect the individual; of that there is little dispute. Way back when, it was rare that anyone not directly involved with the military was recognized as shouldering post-traumatic stress.

Unfortunately, family members left behind were often forgotten about or brushed to the side when it came to trauma… out of sight… their voice was rarely heard.

Jumping from childhood to well into adulthood, the consequence of trauma has been expanded to those outside of the military to include individuals indirectly involved in the incident or event. With such an expansion recognized, recovery is being addressed in a more effective manner… no more out of sight… their voice will be heard.

By today’s standards, traumatic experiences requiring care ranges from the obvious to the not-so-obvious. When it comes to our vulnerable youth and the effects of trauma, the world, neighborhood, and home can create an ever-lasting impression on the heart, mind, and soul; without proper care, these youth are at risk.

Beneath the trauma inducing umbrella are events such as:

Natural disaster
Death of a loved one
Being in a car accident
Child witnessing home abuse
Family member going to prison
Loud noises, gun shots being heard
Shootings and/or neighborhood fighting
Child being the victim of abuse, physical and/or emotional

The above is not all-inclusive but should give you an idea as to what we are dealing with.

On a personal level, the following happened years ago, which, if handled incorrectly, could have changed the path of two very young boys:

When my two boys were just three and four years of age, I purchased two living ducklings as an Easter present (before you panic, we lived on a farm so this was normal activity). My boys were in total awe at the new addition and insisted the ducks stayed in the house. I allowed.

On the second night, the new addition remained inside and in a cardboard box like the night before. After much quacking and smelling of duck poop, around 4:00 am, I placed the cardboard box outside, just within reach of the door. Unfortunately the night was a bit too cold and the ducks did not make it.

My boys woke to the sound of silence as they stepped out to an unexpected event. They both were very upset, shed tears, and did not understand what had happened. That morning, I sat the boys down and explained in a calm and empathetic way what had happened. Over the next few days we had gentle and sensitive talks about it and before long, all was fine.

Though insignificant in comparison, if handled without care and empathy, the event could have made a rippling psychological scar of one or both of my boys.

If a traumatic event happens to someone in your life, do know there are general things one can do to minimize lifelong effects. In my situation outlined above, I remained patient and understanding, allowing deep and meaningful discussions (even though the boys were very young, they deserved respect, a voice, warmth, and empathy).

Simply being there is the first step, as for second and third steps, we’ll review what the experts in the field suggest in articles to come.

To help all of us progress, I welcome your stories to be added into our series.

If you chose to share, email me directly at dhuffman@2ndChanceUniversity.org.

Danny Huffman,
Founder and Journeyman
2^nd Chance University

Steven’s Doubled CHE Quotient

Last time we stopped abruptly in the middle of Steven’s story, time to check out how his CHE Quotient — not too worry, for those not in the CHE Quotient know, you will soon.

Looking at the numbers, Steven had no chance…but you can’t always bet on the numbers…

What Steven had to learn was that he was a unique person with value. That he deserved a better future. That he could actively choose a different path than the one he had walked since his youth.

His lesson started there: by restoring hope, developing empowerment, and bolstering the commitment necessary to change one’s life. Recognizing his own potential and aware that failure (a return to prison) wasn’t an option, Steven committed himself to embracing these lessons and became one of our human element successes.

For Steven, 1 + 1 = SUCCESS!

“I had felonies in my background and I couldn’t get a job. You helped me overcome them in my interviews and become a man of integrity. Now I have a job! Thank you!”

Steven isn’t a number or a statistic, he’s a person. He’s a person who won’t be an inmate ever again. He’s a person able to find employment despite his past. He’s a person with the hope and skills to make his bright future real.

Speaking of numbers, his CHE Quotient doubled to 3.8, and that’s a number one can be proud of.

For the politicians and haters, statistics and numbers have their uses, but they don’t provide the whole picture. That’s why we measure numbers by lives changed: nothing else matters.

I invite you to join in—send your human element short story for publication consideration. Together, we will build a force and make a difference.

2^nd Chance University is a non-profit dedicated to the socially invisible, those justice-involved seeking a journey of wonder and amazement.

1 + 1, what does it add up for you?

Richard Milaschewski
2ndChanceUniversity.org

1 + 1 equals… well, that depends

Statistics and numbers have their uses, mostly depending upon the agenda spinners manipulating them. While numbers reveal much about a particular situation, the fact remains, they can also obscure things, creating more of a head-scratching event than a cerebral epitome.

Question, if numbers are black and white, how can they also turn into grey on a subjective whim? To illustrate, let’s concentrate on what we know best… the criminal element, namely recidivism.

It’s easy to get caught up in discussing recidivism rates, budget allotments, and what really works as the amount of money involved is racking up beyond infinity. Given the nature of subjective realism, debating crime stats, studying methodologies, and examining sample sizes is akin to trying to close a cracked Pandora Box.

Unfortunately, without context and content, numbers on a spreadsheet are simply just that: numbers on a spreadsheet.

To be real, numbers mean nothing, what matters is living a good life, where fear no longer exists and where dreams can (and do) become reality through hard work, commitment, hope, and empowerment.

Truth is, 2CU is not here to crunch numbers (though we have a few to crunch), we’re here to change lives and bring light to an otherwise darkened world. Offering hope, especially for the justice-involved, and raising the torch for all to follow.

For a moment, let’s look beyond retention rates and placement numbers and uncover the human element so many simply don’t understand or chose not to see. Let’s look through the eyes of Steven, a graduate of our program and one who happens to wear a number on his back.

Steven was reared to see the world where struggle was a way of life and giving up on the system (and self) was just the way it was. He saw a dark, dangerous place with no security, no safety net, no support, and definitely no future. Lacking a father figure at home, he sought acceptance and guidance in the street.

Didn’t take long for a gang to offer Steven what he felt was lacking. A series of arrests would give him a record and a narrower path to follow for the remainder of his years.

After release, Steven resisted change, claiming there was no way anyone would give him a chance. His stint in prison left a heavy mark on him. Holding a CHE Quotient of less than 1.5, his main obstacle was himself and the barriers HE created for himself.

Two months after release and slipping back into his old routine, he came to realize (due another near-by) destiny would be behind bars. He got picked up but was gifted a second chance.

Avoiding a return to prison depended upon his finding himself and gainful employment, but the difficulty he faced in finding work with his past was daunting. Steven was despondent, feeling that the stigma of his past would never go away.

Looking at the numbers, he had no chance… but you can’t always bet on the numbers…

(Going to slow this down for now, will conclude tomorrow when we will uncover Steven’s CHE Quotient after the program and what path he is venturing)

Richard Milaschewski,
2ndChanceUniversity.org