Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 12, Number 3, 1 March 1995 — Community-based organizations turn ideas into reality [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Community-based organizations turn ideas into reality

by Deborah Ward Backyard aquaculture enterprises, locally based retail centers, revitalized rural districts, childcare centers, recycling businesses ... a lot ean happen when community residents work together on their ideas for eeonomie development and better communities. As part of its goal to promote self-reliant and cohesive Hawaiian communities, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs has promoted the growth of community-based eeonomie development (CBED) models. OHA does this by providing small infusions of capital to CBED projects and copious technical support and training opportunities. The rest is up to the neighborhood. A recent six-month training course sponsored by OHA brought together 45 representatives from community groups throughout the state to learn the management skills for effective short- and longterm strategic planning, organizational growth, fundraising and financial management, and more. The training also covered legal issues, microenterprise ventures (eeonomie deveIopment on a very small scale) and grant writing. Chris van Bergeijk, acting OHA Eeonomie Development officer, said, "One of the most exciting outcomes was the trust, support and camaraderie built among the community-based eeonomie develop-

ment organizations of Hawai'i. "These groups will be better able to know and understand what it takes to make a loeal community project work and why,

whether it happens now or in the future." Among those attending the CBED workshop were directors of Hui Ho'okipa O Kaua'i, a new community development corporation founded and run by members of Kaua'i's Hawaiian community. Hui Ho'okipa members figure that rebuilding after Hurricane 'Iniki offers new opportunities for Hawaiians to work with the visitor industry for a more responsible and

respectful approach to the Hawaiian culture and a more authentic representation both in and outside a resort setting. Hui Ho'okipa is also working to develop interpretive programs and management of traditional Hawaiian sites on the island by Hawaiians. They envision building community centers where Hawaiians ean practice traditional culture, and where visitors ean both see and support traditional arts. Hui Ho'okipa board member Kaiopua Fyfe notes that "the training program staff, volunteers and educational consultants were top-notch. They not only had heavy-duty skills and experience in their various disciplines, they were also able to eommunicate their knowledge with enthusiasm and humor. "The program presented an excellent opportunity for getting together with representatives from other eom-munity-based organizations. There was such a diversity of experience and sophistication that everyone was able to relate to at least one other

organization, individual, project, problem or solution. The support network whieh evolved will be a major force in future community development. "Although I eome from an intensive business background, not-for-profit community development presents many unique ehallenges," Fyfe said. He added that the training was particularly educational in the areas of: constituency interaction/community representation; board issues of responsibility, participation, liability, etc.; administrative techniques, operational manage-

ment, funding source strategies, grant writing, accounting, financial planning, legal concerns, government regulations and tax information. On O'ahu, the Ko'olauloa Hawaiian Civic Club (through its project management arm, the Friends of Malaekahana State Park) is already using ideas gained from the CBED training. In June 1994 it acquired a three-year rent-free lease from

the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to manage 34 acres of the Mālaekahana-Kahuku section of the park. So far they have put in over $50,000 of their own funds to improve infrastructure and upgrade park facilities (there are presently seven cabins and 40 eamp sites), and to create a living cultural park with an ecotourism theme. They recently received a $27,500 grant from OHA to assist in improvements to create a Hawaiian gathering plaee and healing center at Mālaekahana.

With these improvements, they are also already beginning to attract a new breed of upscale visitor who is interested not just in the sand and sea experience of Hawai'i, but who also wants to get to know loeal residents through hands-on practice of Hawaiian culture. The Friends of Mālaekahana have also established an alternative learning center at the park where at-risk students receive

DOE schooling and are "blossoming" as they leam about Hawaiian cultural values while learning office skills and helping to care for the park. Project manager Craig Chapman says, "The CBED workshop showed us that there was a tremendous amount of loeal talent and ... that we ean really affect our community. "Community-based development and communities coming together is the future. OHA ean be the catalyst for this to happen."

Do you have ideas for how vou'd Iike lo make a difference in your community? Learn more about community-based eeonomie development in a half-hour video produccd for OHA by Juniroa Productions. "Creating the Future" profiles a variety of CBED projects underway in Hawai'i and the processes involved in developing and operating them. To obtain a copy of this video. or for more information, eall OHA's Eeonomie Development division at 5941752.

CBED in action: The Ko'olauloa Hawaiian Civic Club and its Friends of Mālaekahana State Park have a three-year rent-free lease from the state to manage 34 acres there. They're making improvements and creating a living cultural park, including a healing center, a Hawaiian gathering plaee, and an alternative learning center.

The lsland Weaves Conference '95 was held last month at the Pu'u Kāhea Conference Center in Wai'anae. The event was presented by the lmmigrant Center and the Association for the Promotion of Pacific lsland Arts (TAPPA) with financial support from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Above left to right: weavers Pat Camarillo, Peter Park, and Moniz Biddle. On the cover: Elizabeth Lee. Photos by Jeff Clark