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Next Step Homeless Shelter at Kaka‘ako

UH Mānoa College of Social Sciences, and Hawaiʻi Pacific Islands Campus Compact is currently involving service-learning students in two ongoing projects at the NEXT STEP shelter, located on Forrest Avenue, Kakaʻako, Honolulu:
(A) Tutoring and mentoring children (under the leadership of Kapua
Tani); and
(B) ESL tutoring (under the leadership of Adria Honda).

 

The Shelter

The shelter is housed in a large warehouse with up to 300 people, about one-third of which are children. There are separate sections for families, couples, and singles. The shelter opens at 5:30 pm in the evening and closes at 8 am in the morning every day. Many of the people using the shelter are recent immigrants mostly from Micronesian countries. The shelter is located on Forrest Avenue, near Kakaʻako Beach Park and adjacent to the UH Medical School. The makai portion of South St. between COMP USA and Restaurant Row is called Forrest Avenue. Drive into the left fenced area (opposite of the US Customs secured gated area). The entrance is marked by a sign that reads “Next Step” on the fence. Park alongside the warehouse (there will be other cars). Buses on Ala Moana Boulevard (several lines from Ala Moana) will take you to the South Street corner. Report to the front desk and sign in, when you arrive. The tutoring activities usually take place at the tables at the Diamond Head side of the shelter towards the children’s section next to the administrative offices in the trailer inside the warehouse. Before you come the first time, be sure to set up a training appointment with one of the project leaders.

 

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Project Details

A. TUTORING AND MENTORING FOCUS ON CHILDREN

When: Daily, in the evenings within the time frame from 5:30 to 9pm.

Onsite coordinator and student leader: Kapua Tani.

Commitment: Minimum twenty hours over the semester, in two-hour segments. Twice a week is a good model. Work with children on their homework assignments, special assignments that you design, play, talk story, etc. Help out with food serving and other things that may come up.

Training and scheduling: Please contact Kapua Tani. For questions regarding integration into course work, research, and approval for service learning, please contact Ulla Hasager.

Requirements: TB clearance, IHE (Institution of Higher Education) waiver, shelter waiver, and IHE site agreement signed before start of service.

History: On the initiative of Lorraine Jones (herself Micronesian and highly concerned with the situation of the many children at the shelter) of Waikiki Health Center, and with the support of the Next Step staff and community, students, and other faculty, Monisha Das Gupta and Ulla Hasager from the UHM College of Social Sciences began a pilot project in the Fall of 2006 to develop a service-learning tutoring/mentoring program for children at the shelter. It invites college students and faculty to come and help mentor and tutor the children of the shelter as part of the class work for their courses.

 

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B. ESL TUTORING SERVICE-LEARNING OR VOLUNTEER COMMITMENT

This project was originally set up as a volunteer project. It can now also be used as a service-learning component of course work in cooperation with the leaders of project (A) above.

When: At least one day a week for 2-3 hours, preferably Monday or Wednesday, although any day of the week is fine.

Commitment: Tutor 1-3 students at a time in English as second language, Currently, it is mostly Micronesian women of the older generation who are excited to learn English. Most have little to no proficiency in English. You may choose to teach one-on-one for 40-45 minutes per session, or you may choose to teach the whole group together. You may develop your own curriculum, use a curriculum from another source such as a book, or simply talk story. If you need supplies or would like advice, please contact Adria Honda. While many of the adult residents are employed, there are still many that want jobs and are having trouble finding them. You can help them by teaching application filling, resume writing, and interviewing skills, as well as being an advocate for them to find a job.

Training and scheduling: Please contact Adria Honda to get started. If you are planning on integrating your service experience in class work for an IHE course, please contact Ulla Hasager for questions, background information, analysis/reflection, and approval.

Requirements: TB clearance and a shelter waiver, an UH/HIPICC waiver, and a site agreement signed before start of service. Any college student, who is interested in teaching English as a Second Language can participate. Experience is not necessary.

History: The ESL program was started by Mika Kie Weissbuch, (415) 246-6814, lilikoi4@yahoo.com, who is now in California, but still helping out with information. The daily leader of the project is Adria Honda, who is also a student at the UH Medical School. The purpose is to help adult students at the shelter, particularly Micronesian women, learn to speak, read and understand English, which will help them relate others in Hawaiʻi and eventually find jobs.

 

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Contact Information

ON-SITE PROJECT LEADERS:

A. Children’s mentoring/tutoring project leaders:

Mr. Kapua Tani – on-site assistant coordinator NO7TANI@aol.com, 723 4810

B. ESL tutoring:

Adria Honda – student leader, volunteer and supply coordinator, hilohonu@gmail.com, (530) 902 4260

FACULTY CONTACTS

Daily administrator of SL projects; faculty development; research and IHE curriculum integration: Dr. Ulla Hasager, service-learning coordinator, specialist, and instructor of Anthropology and Ethnic Studies, Ethnic Studies Department, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa; ph. 956-4218 (w), 330-1276 (c); fax 956-9494; email: ulla@hawaii.edu

Research and curriculum: Dr. Monisha Das Gupta, assistant professor, Ethnic Studies and Women's Studies Departments, University of Hawaiʻi, 2560 Campus Road, George Hall 306, Ethnic Studies Department, Honolulu, HI 96822; ph. 956 2914; fax 956 9494; email: dasgupta@hawaii.edu

 

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