It Takes an 'Ohana
Hawaii's Foster Care ResourceIt Takes an ‘Ohana is a program of Family Programs Hawaii. We provide the latest news in foster care and updates to Hawaii’s child welfare laws. For more information on foster care and strengthening families in Hawaii, visit our main website by clicking the button below.
Ohana is Forever Conference 2018
Calling current and former foster youth from Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Hawaii Island! Registration is now open for the 11th Annual ‘Ohana is Forever Conference!
Ohana is Forever is an annual conference for young people impacted by foster care and the child welfare professionals that serve them. It will take place in mid-July on Oahu. This year’s theme will be “My Story, My Life.” There will be updates on the Foster Care Bill of Rights, a panel of foster youth discussing their stories, presentations by the HI H.O.P.E.S. Youth Leadership Board, and breakout sessions with Family Programs Hawaii’s Youth Empowerment and Success (YES). Dr. Kimo Alameda will present about trauma and resilience to the service providers. Resource caregivers may want to encourage teen foster youth to attend and be inspired by the success stories stories of their peers.
Youth on Oahu can follow link to register. Youth on a Neighbor Island should contact their social worker or ILP worker to check on flight availability.
NOTE: Adult registration is by invitation only. If you are an adult supporter of foster youth who would like to come, please contact Sharon Simms at OIF@sasserviceshawaii.org or (808) 387-6040 to check on availability.
Celebrating Youth in Foster Care Graduating from High School
Family Programs Hawaii’s YES (Youth Empowerment and Success) is partnering with EPIC, DHS, Hale Kipa and CASA to celebrate young people in foster care who are graduating from high school in 2018. Graduates from all islands were invited to a luncheon at Washington Place with Governor Ige in June 2018. Donations of gift cards are welcome and will be forwarded to the youth. Please call 808-521-9531 or email itao[at]familyprogramshawaii.org to get donations to our youth who graduated.
More Articles
“Dragon Fly: The Journey of a Young Local Girl in Foster Care” wins Po’okela Awards
We are excited to report that PlayBuilders of Hawaiʻi Theater’s play, “Dragon Fly: The Journey of a Young Local Girl in Foster Care”, was awarded the following Po’okela Awards on August 7, 2017:
1. Ensemble Performance in a Non-Traditional Production
2. Hawai`i Resident playwrights’ Original Work
3. Director of Non-Traditional Production
4. Overall Non-Traditional Production
Follow link to see photos and to learn more.
“A Day in the Life”
Save the Date for FREE public performances of the play “A Day in the Life.” It is part of a campaign to bring greater awareness, understanding, and advocacy for young people exploited in human sex trafficking. Stay to speak with a panel of community members to discuss Hawaii’s response the commercial sexual exploitation of children after the play.
“A Day in the Life” has toured cities throughout the US and brings a human face to the commercial sexual exploitation of young people. Please follow link to learn more.
‘Ohana is Forever XI: Hiki No
The 11th Annual Ohana is Forever conference was held on July 21, 2017 to give tools to help youth and young adults affected by foster care to create...