What is the ʻOAKA YOUTH Summit?

A full-day in-person event that brings 20 youth (ages 15-22) together to focus on personal and professional development through kuleana with Resilience Hubs. The acronym of YOUTH stands for Youth Opportunity to Unite and Transform with Hubs

What is ʻOAKA?

ʻOAKA means to open, to sprout, and to flash. ʻOaka signified the opening and sprouting of new beginnings; a new upheaval of energetic motion like that of lightning. ʻOaka is also an acronym for ʻŌpio Alliance for Kuleana Advancement— a youth-designed and led Hawaiʻi Island coalition that invests in personal and professional leadership development through kuleana - a native Hawaiian value of shouldering one's individual responsibilities for collective community resilience. Grounded in the principles of Asset Based Community Development, ʻOAKA collaborates with local youth serving organizations, high schools, and university campuses to advance equitable opportunities for youth on Hawaiʻi Island to build capacity and activate their agency as change makers.

What is the purpose of these summits?

The ʻOAKA YOUTH Summits serve as a launch point to increase a sense of belonging through for youth ages 15-22 in their districts by providing an opportunity to network, gain insight into their personal skills and strength, and identify opportunities to contribute to community resilience.

What could you expect from these Summits?

• A space to network with other youth
• Identify opportunities to engage with local Resilience Hubs
• Fun activities to develop leadership and professional skills
• Lunch and snacks provided
• A chance to win Vibrant Hawaiʻi swag during and after the summit.
• A chance to showcase your talents at Vibrant Hawaiʻi’s makahiki event
• Stepping into Vibrant Hawaiʻi’s network for future events/collaborations and support.

Where can I sign up?

Head over to www.vibranthawaii.org/get-involved to RSVP your spot. (Be sure to check which region you want to RSVP to).

When does registration close?

The Thursday afternoon (4:30 p.m.) prior to the Summit.

What does the process look like for youth under the age of 18?

A liability and media release form will be emailed to the parent/guardian of any participant under the age of 18.

Other information

All participants are responsible for their own mode of transportation to and from the Summit.