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ʻŌpio Alliance for Kuleana Advancement
ʻOAKA is designed for youth and led by youth ages 15-24 to ensure equitable opportunities for youth to develop a strong work ethic, build capacity as civic change agents through mentorship, and gain employability skills through application of knowledge in community based, real world environments.
Collectively, ʻOAKA’s Core Team represents all districts of Hawaiʻi Island, with a majority of youth representing rural, Native Hawaiian communities.
Stay Informed!
Subscribe to join the ʻOAKA email list.
The Strategy
ʻOAKA aims to address the opportunity gap that exists for many Hawaiʻi Island youth that hinder employment mobility, reduce civic engagement, and deepen inequity. ʻOAKA offers experiences that empower Hawaiʻi Island youth to embrace their kuleana, and lead with aloha, turning today's ʻōpio into tomorrow's alakaʻi.
ʻOAKA means to open, sprout, and flash. It signifies new beginnings; an upheaval of energetic motion like that of lightning. ʻOAKA is also an acronym for ʻŌpio Alliance for Kuleana Advancement.
Nominate an ʻŌpio Who Is Shaping Hawaiʻi’s Future!
Eligibility:
This initiative centers ʻōpio ages 16–24 who reside on or serve Hawaiʻi Island and demonstrate meaningful community involvement.
Who can Nominate:
Educators, employers, and local organizations are encouraged to submit nominations. Community members are also welcome to nominate—including self-nominations.
Selected participants will receive a $100 cash award, a gift certificate to a local clothing business, and a featured podcast conversation, alongside additional storytelling platforms that amplify their journeys.
Each workshop is designed to teach essential life skills and explore topics that are not typically offered in traditional academic settings.
Workshops include:
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Art of Interview
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Building a Resume
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Acing Your New Hire Period
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Soft-Skills For the Workplace
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Hands-Only CPR and AED Training
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Stroke Awareness
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Transition to Adult Healthcare
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Intro to Personal Finance
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Understanding Credit and Debit
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Investing Basics
To learn more or to schedule a workshop for your school, group, or organization, email oaka@vibranthawaii.org.
This summer, Vibrant Hawaiʻi Ambassadors hosted six Youth Resilience Academies across Hawaiʻi Island, engaging more than 60 youth between the ages of 12 and 18.
Resilience Academies are a 3-day workshop series designed to prepare youth with essential skills for navigating challenges and fostering community resilience by equipping them with knowledge and confidence to navigate and thrive in the face of various challenges: from personal and peer distress to natural disasters and medical emergencies.
Take a look at our achievements this year.
With 12 youth artists from around the island, this
5-month fellowship will support early career artists in building foundations for a community-driven practice.
With monthly gatherings, fellows engaged in activities and presentations to increase fellows’ business acumen as entrepreneurs, support their mental health and wellbeing, and develop social cohesion with their peers.
Artists contributed toward collective art pieces to be gifted to the communities that host the gathering and displayed for the public to enjoy.
Get Involved with ʻOAKA – We Want You!
Whether you're looking to volunteer, collaborate, or learn more about our initiatives, there are plenty of ways to engage and contribute.
For more information, please reach out to us at oaka@vibranthawaii.org or call (802) 365-1808.