Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 35, Number 3, 1 March 2018 — Alu Like provides employment and training support [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Alu Like provides employment and training support

HO'ONAAUAO ^ EDUCATION f

By KaWai Ola Staff Last May, Leinani Woods turned to Alu Like, ine., for assistance as she pursues a career as a registered nurse, Having done her research first, Woods arrived at Alu Like with a short-term goal of becoming a certified nursing assistant, and a longer-term plan to eam a degree practical nursing, said Alu Like Program Specialist Hi'ilei Magallanes. Six months after Magallanes met her, Wood graduated from Kapi'olani Community College's long-term care nursing program and became active on the Hawai'i State Nurse Aide Registry. "Leinani Woods is now an employee at The Plaza at Moanalua," Magallanes said. "Leinani works as a resident care aide where she provides daily health care needs according to eaeh individual resident care plan." Woods also plans to apply to KCC's Practical Nursing Program. Woods' example is just one way Alu Like's Ho'omānea 'Ōiwi program helps Native Hawaiians enhanee

their job skills, become more eompetitive in the workforce and achieve eeonomie self-sufficiency. With programs aimed at both youth and adults, Alu Like's employment programs focus on helping Native Hawaiian, Native American Indian andAlaskaNativeindividuals, as well as strengthening the communities they live in. Alu Like has offices on O'ahu, Hawai'i Island, Kaua'i, Maui and Moloka'i. Eligibility is based on ineome, employment status and other criteria. To celebrate the success of its participants and to raise awareness of Alu Like's programs, staff members shared stories about participants who made them proud. For example, Desiree Lui, 39, is a recovering drug addict who

struggled with substance abuse from age 15, leading to incarceration and in-patient treatment. After three years of sobriety, Lui's focus turned to getting her four children back from child protective services. "Time waits for no one and her ehildren were growing mueh too fast," said Ronelle Hulama, a program specialist at Alu Like. According to Hulama, Lui enrolled

at Honolulu Community College in 2016 with llnaneial assistance from Alu Like and other sources. Working part-time on top of her full-time course load, Lui maintained a 4.0 grade point average, appearing on the dean's list as she worked toward a degree in human services, with a certificate of completion in substance abuse counseling. "This may not sound like mueh,

but for Desiree, that is a big aeeomplishment for her. I couldn't be more proud," said Hulama, wishing Lui continued success. "For those who are familiar with the drug world, there is no one that ean help you but yourself. Continued success to Desiree as her recovery is an ongoing struggle and work in progress." Hilo High 10th-grader Kyale Bohol took advantage of Alu Like's work experience program for youth. "After completing Book Two of Ka La Hiki Ola, a Native Hawaiian cultural-based job-readiness/ employment preparation curriculum, Kyale began her work experience placement at Jumpstart Preschool as a teacher's aide," said Alu Like Program Specialist Shauna Ige. Bohol works two hours after school eaeh weekday. "Kyale really enjoys working at Jumpstart Preschool just as mueh as the school enjoys having her," Ige said. For more information about Alu Like's programs, visit www.alulike. org, eall 585-6700 or email info@ alulike.com. ■

Alu Like helped prepare Leinani Woods for a job as a resident care aide. - Photo: Courtesy Alu Uke

1 Kyale Bohol

Desiree Lui