Impact Practitioners Program
The Impact Practitioners Program is designed for students and working professionals in Hawaiʻi who want to make a lasting difference in their communities. The program runs from January 10 – August 16, 2026 and is open to both graduate and undergraduate students, particularly those interested in biocentric and Indigenous approaches to leadership, design, and problem-solving. Eligible students should have relevant work experience—such as internships, fellowships, research, or volunteer work—or have completed at least two years of college.
The Impact Practitioners Program is designed for students and working professionals in Hawaiʻi who want to make a lasting difference in their communities. The program runs from January 10 – August 16, 2026 and is open to both graduate and undergraduate students, particularly those interested in biocentric and Indigenous approaches to leadership, design, and problem-solving. Eligible students should have relevant work experience—such as internships, fellowships, research, or volunteer work—or have completed at least two years of college.
The program also welcomes working professionals who are employed by, or in the process of starting, a Hawaiʻi-based mission-driven organization, initiative, or program. Ideal candidates are early- to mid-career professionals who can identify a pressing challenge facing their community or organization.
The program also welcomes working professionals who are employed by, or in the process of starting, a Hawaiʻi-based mission-driven organization, initiative, or program. Ideal candidates are early- to mid-career professionals who can identify a pressing challenge facing their community or organization.
Why We Stand Out
Taught by local practitioners
Your instructors are respected local leaders who ground their work in Indigenous knowledge and service to ʻāina and community.
Collaborative and
community-driven.
community-driven.
This program is built on shared learning, peer mentorship, and collective impact
Rooted in
Hawaiʻi.
Hawaiʻi.
Every aspect of the program is tailored to the needs, challenges, and strengths of local communities.
What you will learn
Module 1: Design for Community Impact
• Design Thinking
• Research Methods
• Systems Thinking
Module 2: Strategic Planning and Finance
• Social Impact Strategy
• Financial Management and Resource Stewardship
• Project Planning, Organization, and Execution
Module 3: Community-Based Leadership and Organizing
• Community-Based Leadership Approaches
• Life Design
• Movement Building
Technical Workshops
• Data Visualization and Storytelling
• Generative AI
• Systems Mapping
Deliverables
You will walk away from this program with
• A comprehensive plan for a community intervention
• A personal action plan to strengthen your journey as an impact practitioner
• For students: A paid internship through the UH Office of Indigenous Knowledge and Innovation
