Second Chance Featured in Groundbreaking Docu-Series "Get to Work" Premiering on Sundance Channel on August 13

Original Series Explores San Diego's Job Readiness Training Program that Gets the Chronically Unemployed Off the Streets. End Quote

San Diego, CA (1888PressRelease) August 07, 2012 - Second Chance, a San Diego-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people to change their lives through job readiness training programs and comprehensive wrap-around services, will be featured in the Sundance Channel original docu-series, "Get to Work." The 8x60 series, premiering August 13, takes viewers inside Second Chance to see the STRIVE boot camp, an intensive workforce training program designed to get people off the streets and into the workforce.

"Get to Work" takes viewers behind the walls of Second Chance to witness the struggles of those who have no job, no direction, and seemingly no chance. It's a high-stakes, make-or-break program and, for most of the students, this is their last crack at a real future. But it doesn't come easy: as they push the students to learn workplace skills that will land them a job, Second Chance instructors contend with those who have never learned anything other than bad attitudes and poor behavior. Not everyone makes it to graduation.

Robert Coleman, Executive Director of Second Chance, stated, "We are thrilled that Sundance Channel, a network intent on respectful and authentic programming, is pushing these important issues to the forefront by depicting the realities of today's job environment and the experiences of those in our program."

The docu-series focuses on a real life program called STRIVE, of which Second Chance is one of the largest and most successful partners in the nation. The core program is designed to train students within four weeks and get them into paid employment quickly. The program aims to remove barriers to employment and, for many people, it presents them with their first chance to learn about the skills and behavior expected and required in a workplace environment.

Second Chance is the only nonprofit in the field that delivers workforce training programs, supported by comprehensive wrap-around services that include job placement, housing, mental health and financial literacy, all focused on getting people off the streets and into employment. Since its inception in 1993, Second Chance has graduated more than 5,000 individuals who are now working and paying taxes. Second Chance clients, like those featured in "Get to Work", come from all walks of life, ranging from at-risk youth, adults and veterans, to the formerly addicted and incarcerated. Employing a tough-love stance, Second Chance programs are no easy feat for the students, but the pay-off is a job, a second chance and a fresh start.

Sarah Barnett, Sundance Channel General Manager, added, "'Get to Work' examines one of the country's most urgent challenges, joblessness, with a portrayal that is sometimes painful but often deeply affecting. We see individuals that many might have given up on transform before our eyes. It is powerful and intense to watch as these students try to overcome incredible odds to build a future. We're excited to provide our viewers with a gripping, intimate look at this important issue and are thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with Second Chance and STRIVE."
For more information about the "Get to Work" documentary, visit www.sundancechannel.com/get-to-work/. For more information about Second Chance and opportunities to donate or volunteer, visit www.secondchanceprogram.org or call (619) 839-0950.

About Second Chance:
Established in 1993, Second Chance is a San Diego-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) dedicated to empowering people to change their lives and strengthen communities. Through its workforce readiness training and job placement programs and services, the nonprofit organization gives individuals a second chance at becoming contributing members of society, improving public health, safety and financial stability. Second Chance serves at-risk youth, adults, veterans, former substance abusers, and formerly incarcerated persons. Second Chance programs result in a more stable community, a reduction in government costs, and a powerful response to the State of California's prison realignment program. For more information, visit www.secondchanceprogram.org.

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