Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 6, 1 June 1994 — Ka nūhou mai Alu Like [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ka nūhou mai Alu Like

j\lews jrom Alu Like

(presented by Ka Wai Ola O OHA K^ALU and Alu Like as a public service) HaWLIKE

OJT participant Ryan Cey Arreola had just moved to Maui when he eame to Alu Like in search of a stable job to support his family. In the past, he had enjoyed working as a warehouse attendant and had that as one of his immediate vocationaI goals. Through Alu Like's On-the-Job-Training program (OJT), Arreola was hired as a warehouse worker by Hawaiian Ceramic Tile and has stayed with the eompany since completing

the program. He enjoys working at the warehouse and plans to be there for the foreseeable future.

"I really needed some type of employment right away and I was ready to accept anything." he says. "Alu Like was there for me and got me on my feet at the toughest moments. I not only got a job, but I got a job I love doing." Arreola's future plans include going back to school and studying engineering.

Success story Charles Lum, a recent Kamehameha Schools graduate and past counselor for the Kamehameha Summer Exploration program, eame to Alu Like's Employment and Training Center looking for fulltime employment. Sensing Lum's strong sense of

cultural identity, high self-esteem, and aloha, Lum's employment specialist assessed that he was ideally suited for employment with the Leeward District Hawaiian Studies program. Charles is now an employee of the Hawaiian Studies program assigned to Waiau Elementary School teaching kindergarten to 4th grade. His goal is to teach youth a sense of identity and self-respect.

Business classes in Hilo anel Wailuku For Hawaiians in Hilo and Wailuku wishing to start a business, Alu Like's Entrepreneurship Program is conducting business classes in June and July. The program has over 900 graduates and covers business attitude, marketing, organization, fmancial planning and business planning. The Hilo classes begin on Saturday, June 18. The Wailuku classes begin on Saturday, July 30. All classes will run from 9 a.m. -4 p.m. for six consecutive Saturdays. For applications and further information contact, in Hilo, Dave Brown at 961-2625 and. in Wailuku, Rose Duey at 242-9774.

Alu Like Computer Training The Hawai'i Computer Training Center will be testing applicants for its Class 22 on June 3, June 17, June 24, July 8, July 22, and Aug. 5, 1994 at 1120 Maunakea St., Suite 200. The testing will take plaee from 7:45 a.m. - 1 p.m. and will cover basic mathematics, English and typing. Class 22 runs daily from August 29 to December 16 from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Priority will be given to native Hawaiians and those seeking entry level positions after completion of training. For more information eall the Hawai'i Computer Training Center at 532-3655. Centerhours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Alu Like's Multi-Service Centers help connect Hawaiians with needed services One of the problems with the array of agencies available to help native Hawaiians is that often it's difficult to know whieh one to go to for a specific need. Alu Like's Multi-Service Centers attempt to address this problem. Established in 1991 as a demonstration project and fund-

ed by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the centers act as information points for native Hawaiians who need assistance but don't know who to turn to.

For information on Alu Like's MultiService Centers eall 836-8940

Individuals either eall or eome in to the office with a specific problem and the Multi-Service Center representative helps them find an Alu Like program or agency that would be able to help. Multi-Service Center officer Noel Kong explains, "Our strategy is built on Alu Like's 16 intemal projects in partnership with Ask 2000 and enhanced by a collaborative effort with other agencies."

Ask 2000 is a state information and referral service. The agencies that the centers work with - there are 10 in all - include the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, E Ola Mau, Kamehameha Schools, and Queen Lili'uokalani Trust. There is an island center on all islands except Lāna'i, eaeh staffed by an island representative. The problems clients face could be anything from housing and jobs to medical care and substance abuse. Centers handle on average 100-150 clients a month. In the future, Alu Like's Multi-Service Center officials hope to broaden the scope of the centers and incorporate a more holistic approach to helping its clients. Part of this strategy includes bringing family members of clients into the center and directing them toward an Alu Like program or other agency that might be able to help address a problem they might have.

To contact a Multi-Service Center eall: O'ahu: Harriet 0'SulIivan, 847-3548 Big Isiand: Miehael Dias, 961-2625 Kaua'i: Annette Creamer, 245-8545 Maui: Rose Marie Duey, 242-9774 Moloka'i: Rachel Kamakana, 553-5393

Ryan Cey Arreola

Charles Lum