by Gregory Field
The Hawaii Job Corps is a vocational skills training program for 16 to 24 year old youths of both sexes. The program is intended to assist low-income, culturally, and environmentally disadvantaged youths. Job Corps director Ken Dugan said "The common denominator is they've not had an opportunity to succeed, or complete their education. They're rough around the edges but they're good kids."
"These kids have had a difficult time. Some come from physical environments that are disruptive--abusive environments," said Dugan. "But serious trouble with the law? No!" Those with pending court hearings, fines, restitution or community service cannot apply until those obligations have been met.
"We have to establish our credibility with the community," said Dugan. Job Corps accounts for its students every hour of the day and has a zero tolerance for drugs. "We try to teach them to take responsibility for positive outcomes," said Dugan. "We are constantly reinforcing their accomplishments." The Job Corps program develops the young person to be a proactive part of the community. Job Corps regularly performs public service, to give the student a way to practice their vocational skill, to develop in the student community involvement, and to create linkages with other organizations in the community.
The new Job Corps campus will have 105 male and 105 female residential students. In addition there will be forty non-residential students, primarily single parents. An O'ahu Head Start early childhood program is located on campus. About 65% of the students are local kids, mostly from O'ahu, and 35% are from Micronesia.
"The kids want to make a change in their lives," said Dugan. "They just need the tools and the encouragement."