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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah teenagers who run into trouble often end up in the secure care of the state. Many of them struggle to find a peaceful and productive path but a federally funded program offers hope for a better future, for those who qualify.
It's called the Second Chance Grant. For teenagers getting out of secure care, it's a chance to get more education and learn new skills for employment.
"I was just in an 'I don't care' state,'" said Alycia Lizarzaburu, who spent a year in secure care when she was 17.
"I just made a lot of mistakes, and I did a lot of things against the community that were pretty bad," she said.
She didn't care about life or school and didn't think about the consequences.
As Lizarzaburu contemplated that in the custody of the state, she realized she wanted to change. She learned new coping and communication skills that enabled her to reach out for support.
When it was time to leave, a federally funded Second Chance Grant paired her with Juvenile Justice Services caseworker Shayla Simpson.
"I think the Second Chance Grant really helps them be successful and gives them hope that there's something there," Simpson said.
The teens who qualify can go back to school, earn vocational certificates, and work on career development. There's even grant money for housing.
"Everyone needs a second chance, and having a second chance for people that struggle, that don't have the opportunity to have schooling paid for, and stuff like that, I think it's important for people to get that opportunity and take advantage of it," the case manager said.
The program paid for Alycia Lizarzaburu to start classes to become an emergency medical technician. Lizarzaburu said that career feels like a good fit because she likes helping people and wants to turn things around in her life.
"I was harming the community," she said. "So, I felt like it's a good opportunity to give back."
She's also finishing high school as a requirement for her EMT coursework, and looking forward to her new future.
"I like helping people, so saving peoples' lives I feel like the excitement will give me the same excitement as when I was doing bad things, but in a better way."
If not for this second chance, Lizarzaburu said, she may have ended up dead or homeless.
"I feel like I can actually succeed now, whereas in the past, I didn't really care about my future," she said.
