Desired Outcome |
Youth have opportunities for life skill building, asset development and mentoring.
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| Primary Indicators |
- % Youth involved in after school activities.
- % Schools collaborating to offer access to youth development activities.
- % Schools offering or linking with youth entrepreneurial activities.
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| Related Indicators |
- % High school seniors planning a “13th year” of school (Chart).
- % Students entering high school who graduate on time (Chart).
- Teen pregnancy rate (Chart).
- % Youth who feel connected to school and community.
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| Story Behind the Baseline |
- No central public high school in North Hawaii, and many youth attend school out of their community.
- No central community recreational facility.
- Recent increased awareness and collaboration, but still need more integrated planning for youth development facilities, activities and transportation.
- Significant decline in past 10-20 years of school-based activities.
- Minimal public transportation system – Dept. of Education currently not providing late bus for after school activities and sports.
- Relatively high proportion of youth and elderly in North Hawaii creates high "dependency burden" on workforce.
- High cost of living leads many parents to work multiple jobs, and children to be alone after school.
- Large disparity in family income and education levels within North Hawaii.
- Minimal training for adult volunteers.
- Ulumau Leadership Series Class of 2006-07 is continuing to work on bringing a youth center into being.
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| Partners with a Role to Play |
Local:
Family Support Services of West Hawaii, YMCA, Schools, St. James Church, Tutu's House, Friends of the Future, Just Think Mobile, YWCA, Hamakua Youth Center, North Kohala Intergenerational Center, Salvation Army, North Hawaii Community Learning Centers, Kohala Community Athletic Association, Hawaii Youth Leadership, and Faith Community, AYSO, Pop Warner Football, Little League, Na Kalai Wa'a, Youth Horizons Hawaii, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Waimea Middle School Intramural Sports, Hula Halau, Kohala’s Project Venture, Ka Hana Noeau and Partners in Development.
County:
Department of Parks and Recreation, Community Policing, Department of Transportation, Hawaii Island United Way, and Youth Builders.
State:
Office of Youth Services, Department of Education, and Department of Health Community Adolescent Program.
National:
America’s Promise, Just Think Foundation, Healthy Communities Healthy Youth, & Search Institute.
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| What Works - Best Practices |
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| What is Being Done |
- Earl’s Garage – Hands on invention opportunities.
- Tutu’s House – Programs for youth.
- W.M. Keck High School Intern program.
- Kanu o Ka Aina – Community mentoring Fridays.
- Na Hana Noeau mentoring program in Kohala.
- Kohala’s Project Venture – Outdoor adventure program for 7th graders in North Kohala.
- The Kohala Center programs for local students and teachers.
- Community renovation of Waimea Parks and Recreation Community Center and development of youth programs through Family Support Services of West Hawaii.
- Waikoloa Youth Mentoring Program no longer active.
- Educational Rotary collaboration on “Make a Difference Day” - HPA buses used to transport to Waikoloa Youth Mentoring.
- North Hawaii Community Learning Centers – After school enrichment and tutoring programs.
- Mala’ai Culinary Garden at Waimea Middle School.
- YMCA has fee for service gym and after school program in Waimea.
- Hawaii Island Rural Heath Association - Emergency Response Training.
- 2004 Youth Surveys of all North Hawaii Schools - “What activities would you like to see?”
- Waimea Youth Activities Committee (broad collaboration) - Battle of the Bands (2003 and 2004), Teen Dances – Preliminary planning for Youth Center.
- Several schools developing “Service Learning” programs.
- Many schools participated in coach training through Positive Coaching Alliance.
- Waikoloa Skateboard Park and North Kohala Skateboard Park being developed.
- Na Huapala o Hawaii – Cultural learning program in North Kohala.
- Just Think Mobile – Media literacy and project-based learning activities.
- Waimea Middle School intramural sports.
- Waimea Community Robotics Club.
- Hawaii Island Economic Development Board/Workforce Development Intern/Mentoring Program.
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| Suggested Strategies |
Increase Awareness:
- Increase awareness of youth activities as asset and life skill building.
- Increase awareness of existing resources.
Obtain Additional Data:
- Partner with Dept. of Health, ADAD, to assure regular Youth Survey, including questions on attachment to school and community and opportunities for activities.
Inventory and Build on Existing Resources:
- Develop and disseminate inventory of existing activities by age group and location.
- Continue to update resource data.
- The current Ulumau Leadership Series class is working on the inventory of existing activities by age group and location along with a plan to get the information widely distributed in the community. Melanie Biddle is one of the team members tasked with this.
- Battle of the Bands moved to Boys and Girls Club of Hilo.
Increase Organizational Links:
- Investigate business and Hawaii Community College and Workforce Investment Board partnerships for entrepreneurial development and job training in partnership with DOE and Salesforce.com Foundation.
- Identify facilitative leader to re-energize Youth Coalition.
- Link with County Youth Builders and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Identify and Address Barriers:
- Build essential facilities.
- Continue to support collaboration for development of community recreational facility.
Promote Effective Programs:
- Support partnerships with County Youth Builders and Emergency Response Academy to expand island-wide.
- Expand Just Think Mobile programs.
- Development of Big Island athletic community association in Waimea and Honokaa.
- Earl’s Garage working to establish community-based robotics clubs in Waikoloa, Honokaa, Kohala and Paauilo.
Promote Effective Practices:
- Increase financial resources to youth serving organizations through skill building in grant writing, strategic planning and program evaluation.
- Support professional development in 40 assets model and for adults working with youth.
- Expand links with Positive Coaching Alliance
- Investigate formation of Community Youth Activities non-profit, which works with County Parks and Recreation in Waimea, similar to North Kohala.
Promote Effective Policies:
- Funding for physical education, music, arts in public schools.
- Revitalize and effectively operate School-to-Work program.
- Consider policies to prevent alcohol use in public youth recreation areas.
Improve Health Systems:
- Increase youth volunteer opportunities in health services.
Acknowledge Champions and Progress:
- Acknowledge work of Family Support Services of West Hawaii, Waimea Culinary Garden Project, Skate Park, YMCA, County Parks and Recreation.
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