Ho'oikaika Annual Conference

Come learn the essentials of advocacy for non-profits, government staff, and child/family advocates.  You will leave with tangible ways to get involved and create policy and systems change that strengthen protective factors for our keiki.

This presentation will be centered on the principles and skills of Motivational Interviewing (MI) and other Evidence-Based Practices to assist advocates to deepen the connection and effectiveness in their interactions with the clients they work with. In addition to principles, and skills, MI promotes a way  of interacting with people that fosters partnership and offers a set of skills to collaborate successfully with those you work with. Essential elements we will cover include your ability to address cultural and other interpersonal differences that may complicate the helping process. In addition to MI, we will discuss and apply the Strengths Perspective, Cultural Humility and non-judgmental curiosity to draw out your clients in ways that support  connection, safety, trust, which lead to client success.

To succeed in your advocacy goals, your organization will need a clear, compelling communications plan to get your message out and influence decision-makers. In this workshop, you’ll learn about big-picture strategies and specific tools that any organization can use, no matter your budget or capacity. This workshop will help you put together the pieces for a strong campaign, including crafting a compelling message, reaching your key audiences, and measuring your effectiveness. The workshop will also provide an overview of different communications channels — from press releases and opinion articles to social media and other digital platforms — along with ideas on how to prioritize what’s best for your needs.

Passion, caring and commitment (the characteristics of good advocacy!) often surface conflict. In this session, we explore beliefs about conflict: how we typically react, its costs and consequences, and the influence of culture on our beliefs and behaviors, in order to adopt the game-changing belief that conflict is an opportunity for positive change.