Join us on the road ahead
Together we can create equitable opportunity and access to quality jobs for Hawaiʻi residents
Welcome to the Hawaiʻi Workforce Funders Collaborative. Our aim is to shed light on the challenges faced by workers in Hawaiʻi and elevate their voices to bring about positive change. As a nonprofit organization, we are dedicated to empowering workers and introducing new narratives that highlight the realities and triumphs of those seeking good jobs in Hawaiʻi. Here's a glimpse into what you can expect from us in the coming months.
Understanding the Challenges: Hawaiʻi's unique job market presents a range of challenges for its workforce. We recognize the need to address issues such as limited job opportunities, high living costs, wage disparities, and the impact of tourism on the local labor force. While we face some challenges as a state, many challenges reflect the unique conditions within localized communities - whether by island, district, or neighborhood. Through research and data analysis, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of both the common and unique challenges communities face, so that we can design solutions together.
Elevating Worker Voices: At the heart of our mission is the belief that worker voices should be heard and valued. We will feature personal stories, interviews, and testimonials that bring to light the experiences and perspectives of workers across various industries in Hawaiʻi. Be on the lookout in the coming months for our first worker voice resource, a Community-Driven Job Quality Framework — which synthesizes learnings gathered through conversations with workers and community based organizations around what makes a job “good.”
Advocacy and Support: We are committed to advocating for worker rights and fair, equitable employment practices. We will actively engage with policymakers, community leaders, and other organizations to bring about meaningful change. By providing resources, support networks, and information on workers' rights, we aim to empower individuals to navigate the job market with confidence and resilience.
Building a Community: We believe in the power of community and collaboration. Whether you work in K12, Higher Education, for a community based organization, in state or local government, or employ workers as part of a business of any size, we each have a role to play in bringing about a better future for Hawaiʻi workers and learners. We will foster a strong online community where organizations that support workers can connect, share insights, and offer support to one another. In addition, we'll host forums, discussions, and events that encourage the exchange of ideas and promote solidarity among workers striving for a better future. We would love to hear from organizations supporting Hawaiʻi workers — and provide the opportunity for you to contribute content to the conversation.
Informative Resources: In the coming months, we will curate a wealth of resources and tools designed to assist stakeholders working across the education and workforce development ecosystem. From data sensemaking articles, to interactive data maps, to reports highlighting industry trends, to learnings from our Community-Informed Job Quality Framework, we are working towards developing a comprehensive hub of knowledge to help organizations better understand and support Hawaiʻi workers and learners — and we need your partnership to make this a reality.
As we embark on this journey together, we invite you to join us in our commitment to elevate worker voices and bring about positive change for Hawaiʻi's workforce. We believe that by amplifying worker voices and fostering dialogue, we can build upon existing narratives and create a more inclusive and equitable job market for all. Stay tuned for more updates, events, and inspiring stories in the months to come. Together, we can make a difference.
Please take a moment to fill out the form at the bottom of the page to sign up for our mailing list to keep up to date as new content is released.
Mahalo for being a part of our community and for your dedication to uplifting workers in Hawaiʻi.
