Community Cohorts

Since its inception during the pandemic, KKV’s Economic Agency (EA) program has provided the Kalihi community with access to resources that are often hard to come by. One example is the program’s job readiness and financial cohorts. Through these sessions, facilitated by EA staff, community members are introduced to financial and job readiness topics in an educational and culturally respectful manner. “Our goal has always been to make them feel comfortable, because these topics can be intimidating,” said EA Project Assistant Christian Marquez. 

The job readiness cohort, launched in June 2023, is the more established of the two training sessions. Held once a week for a month, the cohort teaches participants resume and interview skills. A key part of the training focuses on preparing for common interview questions, helping participants answer confidently and coherently. “We provide some translations, mainly in Chuukese and Marshallese, to ensure our community members aren’t intimidated by the interview process,” said Christian. “This helps them understand challenges they may face and how to handle them.” EA also offers legal trainings to help participants understand their rights during the hiring process and helps secure donated work attire so that participants feel prepared for interviews. The goal of the job readiness cohort is to empower participants and help them pursue their career goals. Sessions are usually held every few months, but schedules are tailored to be flexible for each cohort. The program is open to community members of all ages looking to improve their career or personal skills. EA can also assist participants in finding jobs after completing the program. 

The financial cohort, introduced in June 2024, focuses on teaching young people in Kalihi about financial literacy. EA has worked with KKV’s youth services programs to provide training for four of our youth and women's support programs so far. “We provide localized financial information specific to our community,” said Christian. “Teaching general financial concepts without considering the unique aspects of Hawaiʻi, such as the cost of living, taxes, and demographics, wouldn’t be practical.” EA staff underwent third-party training, with resources provided by Hawaiian Community Assets. in order to conduct these trainings. Topics covered include budgeting, credit building, taxes, and FAFSA/college career counseling. Although the financial cohort has so far only been available to KKV youth programs, EA plans to expand its reach in the future.  

These training sessions are just a few of the many resources EA provides to the community. If you're interested in joining any upcoming FREE cohorts or want more information, call the Kōkua Hotline at 808-741-9466.