DRAFT Proposal
 

Overview of the KULEANA PROGRAM and Na Makaʻāinana


Kuleana is the native Hawaiian word meaning “right, privilege and responsibility.”  It describes a traditional land-use practice that grants permission to care for and enjoy the benefits of a specified area.

Maka‘āinana (literally, “the eyes of the land”) is the native Hawaiian word for a caretaker of the environment.
Na Maka‘āinana is the phrase for a group of such caretakers.


Program Purposes

• To provide the opportunity and tools for volunteer “early adopters” among staff and faculty to become a  Maka‘āinana, a caretaker in a sustainable way of the energy, recycling, water, transportation and landscaping activities for the buildings in which his/her department or office is located, thereby fostering their sense of ownership, empowerment and pride, and enhancing their work experience
• To disseminate information and model behaviors through these staff and faculty members to increase the campus community’s understanding of and support for creating a sustainable UH-Manoa
• To recognize and commend these staff and faculty members, and to celebrate their achievements
• To use these staff and faculty members as the basis of a network of support for sustainability across campus
• To track cost savings resulting from reductions in energy and water use, and increased rates of recycling

Program Goal
To have an ongoing network consisting of 100 Maka‘āinana, managed by the UHM Sustainability Coordinator (SC)

Na Maka‘āinana Participation in the Kuleana Program

• Na Maka‘āinana will be coordinated by the SC, with the support of an Administrative Assistant and the UHM Sustainability Council
• A Maka‘āinana will be given 4 hours relaease time per month by his or her supervisor to be devoted to activities pertaining to the Kuleana Program
• A Maka‘āinana will:
• • attend at least one Training Session per year
  • attend the fall, spring and summer terms’ Kick-off Breakfasts to meet Na Maka‘āinana members and receive his/her tools for each term’s focus (Energy, Materials Management and Recycling, Water, Transportation, Landscaping)
  • use his/her tools for each term’s focus (s/he also may develop an individual project for each term’s focus)
  • read monthly emails from the SC and pass on pertinent information to his/her building occupants

•   A Maka‘āinana is invited to:
• • attend the fall, spring and summer Mahalo Celebrations to recognize Na Maka‘āinana efforts and the Kuleana Program’s results
• A new Maka‘āinana is encouraged to begin using his/her tools for that term’s focus immediately after attending a Training Session.
• A new Maka‘āinana recruited between training sessions may work with the SC to utilize his/her tools until the next Training Session

 
Recruitment and Selection of Na Maka‘āinana
Recruitment may occur through:

• general word-of-mouth
• Na Maka‘āinana themselves
• SC contact with the present campus community
• SC presentations at new staff, faculty and student orientations
• announcements via campus media outlets including the online UH employee newsletter News@UH, campus newspaper Ka Leo O Hawaii, and campus radio station KTUH

• flyers on campus bulletin boards and in departments and offices
• websites including those of the Manoa Chancellor’s Office and Sustainability Council
• targeted recruitment for unrepresented buildings
  

If a person is interested in becoming a Maka‘āinana for his/her building, the SC will suggest that he/she approach his/her supervisor for permission to do so.  If his/her supervisor agrees, the SC will ask the person to fill out and submit a registration form within 48 hours, and to come to a half-hour interview/orientation with the SC within one week.  The SC will review the person’s registration form prior to the interview/orientation.

Recruitment of Students to Assist Na Maka‘āinana
The Kuleana Program allows students to assist staff or faculty Na Maka‘āinana, with the approval of the Maka‘āinana for that building.

• Students may attend a Training Session if they commit to assisting for one year.
• Na Maka‘āinana are encouraged to recruit students to assist them, but each Maka‘āinana is responsible for ensuring coordination and quality.  If a student is putting in a lot of time and is very helpful, a Maka‘āinana can invite the student to the Kick-off Breakfasts and Mahalo Celebrations.
• Students will be entered into the database (and counted toward Na Maka‘āinana total) and directly included in emails only if they have committed to assisting for one year and have attended a Training Session.

Training of Na Maka‘āinana

•  A Maka‘āinana will attend at least one Training Session per year.
• Training Sessions will cover:
• An introduction to Kuleana Program tools, focuses and terms
• A review of the role of a Maka‘āinana
• An introduction to social marketing and how to foster behavior change
• An overview of present sustainability initiatives at UHM
• Opportunities to contribute to sustainability both at home and at UHM
• Training Sessions will be held at the start of each term (fall, spring and summer), ideally with 15-20 participants per session.
• “Refresher” trainings may be held.

Support, Supervision and Motivation

• Na Maka‘āinana Kick-off Breakfasts will be held on weekday mornings at the start of each term (fall, spring and summer) to allow Na Maka‘āinana to:
• get to know other Na Maka‘āinana members
• learn about Kuleana Program tools, the SC, focuses for upcoming terms and new campus initiatives
• ask questions, give input and share ideas about the Kuleana Program
• Na Maka‘āinana Mahalo Celebrations will be held on weekday afternoons near the end of each term (fall, spring and summer) to allow Na Maka‘āinana to:
• recognize Na Maka‘āinana efforts and the Kuleana Program’s results, and celebrate them
• Other activities to educate, train and/or motivate Na Maka‘āinana (e.g., speakers, workshops, tours of “green” buildings, etc.) may be organized.
• A schedule of the year’s Kick-off Breakfasts, Mahalo Celebrations, Training Sessions and other activities will be distributed at the start of the fall semester, with special announcements emailed during the year.
• The SC will follow up with a Maka‘āinana who needs additional encouragement or support within one week.
• The SC will follow up by email with a Maka‘āinana who has a question or concern within two weeks.
• A database to track attendance at Kick-off Breakfasts, Mahalo Celebrations, Training Sessions and other activities will be kept for each Maka‘āinana.  A confidential hard-copy file of the registration form, record of meeting/calls/interactions, and exit interview form will be kept for each Maka‘āinana.

Recognition

• Day-to-day appreciation by the SC of the efforts of Na Maka‘āinana is the best form of recognition.
• Timely follow-up by the SC on Na Maka‘āinana questions or concerns is also a significant form of recognition.
• Mahalo Celebrations will be held near the end of each term (fall, spring and summer) to recognize the efforts of Na Maka‘āinana.
• A recognition certificate signed by the UHM Chancellor and SC will be sent near the end of the spring term to all Na Maka‘āinana members to thank them for their efforts and invite them to the Mahalo Celebration.

Evaluation

• Feedback forms will be distributed in the information packets at Kick-off Breakfasts, Mahalo Celebrations, Training Sessions and other activities.
• An annual survey of Na Maka‘āinana members will be conducted at the end of the spring term.
• Ad Hoc Task Force feedback sessions will be held on an as-needed basis.
• The SC will conduct an exit interview with a Maka‘āinana who resigns, and encourage him/her to recruit a replacement and continue to serve in a back-up position to the new Maka‘āinana if possible.  The SC will send a thank-you card following the exit interview.
• A brief annual report will be submitted to the Office of Sustainability in August each year