Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 37, Number 11, 1 November 2020 — Dollars and Services: The Complementary Roles of Financial Assistance and Social Services at LT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Dollars and Services: The Complementary Roles of Financial Assistance and Social Services at LT

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By Penn Pantumsinchai Between March and August 2020, Lili'uokalani Trust (LT) committed up to $1 million to help with "emergency hnaneial stabilization" for kamali'i and their 'ohana. These small, one-time awards helped to offset the eeonomie impacts of the COVID19 pandemic. 1 In 7 Americans ages 16-24 are neither working nor in school nationwide

1 in 5 Nalive Hawailans ages 16-24 are neither workine nor in school in Hawai'l

As LT begins to implement the directions and activities identified in its updated 20202025 strategic plan, it is important to strike a halanee between the use of resources for direct services and for hnaneial assistance. LT looked at the evidence regarding the relative benefit of hnaneial assistance compared to social services. The pervasive, negative effects of poverty on the development and future wellbeing of kamali'i are well established. While larger, sustained hnaneial assistance does help ease the effects of poverty, money alone is usually insufficient. Comparatively small, short-term hnaneial assistance ean provide crucial resources in an emergency and help prevent the slide into poverty, but we found

only limited published research on this. Services including hnaneial assistance, social, educational, and vocational programs using a positive youth development approach promote healthy development and wellbeing. Providing both resources and programs ean alleviate chronic stress for parents struggling to meet their families' basic needs. While education is valuable at any age, the return on investment in children's early years is higher than investments in education later in life. Therefore, LT is planning an early childhood center that will provide residential and day services to young parents and their children. Using a positive youth development framework ean improve the quality of services, while addressing the unique needs of the opportunity youth population. Although LT offers a variety of programs for kamali'i, all use the positive youth development framework; all focus on increasing knowledge, use, and pride in traditional Hawaiian cultural practices, history, language, and a deeper understanding of a Hawaiian worldview. Moving forward, LT will work with kamali'i in supporting them on their pathways to long-term eeonomie sustainability. LT will eonhnue to bring a cultural lens to services for Native Hawaiian 'ohana that ean strengthen their wellbeing, build resiliency, connect them to the larger community, and support healthy youth development. To view LT's Strategic Plan go to: https:// onipaa.org/pages/lili-uokalani-trust-unveils-strategic-plan- 2020-2045. ■ Penn Pantumsinchai is a Research & Evaluation manager at Lili'uokalani Trustwith the Research, Evaluation & Strategy team. She received her masters and doctorate in sociologyfrom the University ofHawai'i at Mānoa. She is a co-host of an educational socio!ogy podcast, "The SociaI Breakdown" (www.lhesocialbreakdown.com), whieh aims to bring the sociological perspective to the general puhlie in a fun, accessible, and informative way.