*To gain understanding
Health Careers Exploration
The Ho'omaopopo Program is currently funded through a partnership with the John A. Burns School of Medicine - Native Hawaiian Center of Excellence Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP).
The program focuses on supporting teens from the Health Occupations Professions Exploration (HOPE) program at Nanakuli High School and the Hawaiian Studies Program (HSP) at Waianae High School who are interested in health professions. The overall goal is to ultimately increase the number of minority practitioners in health-related professions and careers. Participants learn about different health professions, including roles, responsibilities and educational requirements. They are given assistance in applying for financial aid, scholarships, college opportunity programs, and in applying to educational institutions.
HCOP: HCOP partners at the University provide ten slots from each of the high schools on the Wai'anae Coast to participate in Saturday Health Careers Academy enrichment sessions (e.g., math, science, reading and communications) which will be held in the Wai'anae community.There is also a four-week summer residential health careers program that targets these same schools and is conducted on the UHM campus. Information is collected on the students' knowledge in chemistry, biochemistry, biology, and learning skills and an individualized education plan is developed for each of the students that addresses their specific academic and learning needs. This program focuses on rising sophomores, juniors and seniors who will be tracked for a five-year period.
Students develop a deeper understanding of themselves as individuals and as learners, including problem solving, critical thinking, communication and study skills, and computer literacy skills. For high school and undergraduate students, career-oriented activities include exploring careers with health professionals, career shadowing in workplace settings, participation both as a mentee and a mentor, learning to give back to the community while gaining invaluable experience.
HCOP provides resource speakers on the admissions process, for higher education, financial aid and personal financial management. Students and staff also participate in field trips and other activities at area health centers and clinics.
Career Mentoring:
- A minimum of 25 high school students will participate in career mentoring experiences each year.
- Develop and implement a curriculum that establishes clear learning goals and activities for the participants.
- Site faculty will collaborate with the local high schools, specifically targeting the Hawaiian Studies Program at the Waianae High School and the Health Opportunities Professions Explorations program at the Nanakuli High School and other students interested in health professions from both high schools.
- Provide shadow/mentor experiences for students who will be assigned to a clinic or program at the WCCHC and will be mentored by a practicing health professional. Placements currently include in several primary care clinics, Integrative Medicine clinic, preventive health, adult day care, emergency room, laboratory, dental clinic, patient services, medical records, medical administration, and pharmacy. As appropriate and needed, other sites may be added.
- Assigned staff in each of the selected clinics will provide a one-on-one mentorship role with each student and will be supported by program staff.
- Program staff will arrange for these students to receive school credit whenever possible.
- Program staff will provide overall mentorship and support for participants.
- Shadow site attendance forms and evaluations of the program by both the participants and the site mentors will be completed and findings included in the yearly report.
Peer Mentoring:
- A minimum of 25 high school and 5 college level students will participate in peer mentoring activities each year.
- A teens mentoring teens component will be established that will engage teen participants to offer mentorship support to newly recruited participants, guiding them toward the resources available to them.
- A college mentoring component will be established that will engage college students who are planning health careers to mentor high school youth. Specifically they will provide one on one support to high school students with the goal of mentoring them in their plan and pursuit of a health career through the community college system, the University of Hawaii, other colleges, or other health specialty training programs.
- Up to 25 students may participate in this activity each year.
- Develop and pilot a program component that provides teens the opportunity to develop and organize community presentations and events related to health risks, issues and/or concerns that they identify. Teen participants will have the opportunity to identify health issues of concern to them and to develop and implement community health educational products and activities to present in the community.
- Target middle school youth with the intent of introducing them to health career opportunities and to begin to prepare for a high school curriculum that will lead to a health career.
- Utilize the college mentors as facilitators and role models who will provide support to the YHSC and assist in product development.
- Participants will have access to the WCCHC Resource Learning Center, including computers, PowerPoint, Internet, and other resources to develop the health educational products.
- Participants will be given the opportunity and support to participate in other programs and activities of the Heath Center that focus on specific health concerns, i.e., tobacco and alcohol activities, health fairs, HCOP summer mentoring program at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine.
- Program staff will provide overall mentorship and support for participants.
- Youth Health Services Corp participants will document community health education activities, utilizing pre-and post- evaluations and other appropriate means.
College admissions and financial aid support:
- Each year a minimum of 25 high school students and 20 parents will receive support to assist in applying to college and to attaining financial aid to do so.
- With the support of a case manager specifically targeted for this purpose, provide individualized support to program participants to assist them in identifying needs, interests and to complete the college applications and identify and apply for resources to finance their education.
- A scholarship and financial aid program component will be established that will assist participants in accessing educational opportunities. This will be achieved by applying for direct scholarships, through work-study arrangements, or through application to AmeriCorps or other such programs.
- Specifically, participants will have access to the WCCHC scholarship program and the Community College educational assistance program (Ka’ala Farms Inc. grant). Refer to our Scholarship site
- A stipend/incentive fund will be established with the intent of providing funds that will address the removal of barriers to attaining educational opportunities, i.e., SAT or ACT Fees, application fees, etc.
- Each year a minimum of 50 community residents will participate in community based college workshops.
- A minimum of 3 college workshops will be held each year, focusing on applying to colleges and on attaining financial aid.
- Program staff will advertise the workshops community-wide through the local newspapers and other means.
- Program staff will coordinate with the high school college counselors in each of the high schools to coordinate and support the college workshops.
- Pre- post- knowledge assessments for college workshops and other program sponsored events, including attendance sheets will be completed.
Ho'olokahi Student Projects