Teen Girls PK Mentoring Camps
Children of prisoners are almost seven times more likely to go to prison than their peers. With an absent father these young women need positive mentors in their lives to help steer their behaviour away from criminal tendencies.

Second Chances SA (SCSA) commenced 1 February 2015 after having 20 years experience with a national organisation. They exist solely to give ‘Second Chances’ to prisoners upon release and to their families, especially the children who are the most vulnerable and innocent victims of crime.

SCSA provide eight camps per year for the children of prisoners (PKs), including two Teen Girls Mentoring camps per annum as an opportunity to provide mentoring and support for at-risk teens.

These two camps are to be held in Autumn and Spring 2016. They comprise five to six trained leaders, one per teen camper. SCSA’s aims and objectives are to provide an extensive programme of recreational activities and teach or reinforce values such as

• trust;
• teamwork;
• respect;
• manners;
• courtesy and
• patience

Positive outcomes of prior Teen Girls Mentoring camps has been the emergence of two young women as assistant leaders who have commenced assisting leaders at the Camp for Kids for primary age children (9-11 years).

SCSA’s aim is to train more vulnerable young women to become future Assistant leaders on camps and have identified another two who have potential leadership qualities to be nurtured.

Since October 2007 SCSA (as Prison Fellowship Australia, SA) have conducted almost 50 camps. They have completed a procedural Manual for the sustainability of the programme and drawing from eight years of camping experience, SCSA have observed amazing changes in the lives of these young people.

The UCF Board was pleased to grant $2,000 towards this excellent programme.

Second Chances SA, formerly known as Prison Fellowship Australia (SA), were one of the first grant recipients in 2011.