Youth Leaders in Kūpuna Health- Digital Badging Program

Badge Description:
This badge recognizes students who successfully completed the Youth Leaders in Kūpuna Health program and demonstrated an increased understanding about aging, enhanced empathy and communication skills, and who have taken action to improve the lives of older adults. 
Background:
In partnership with the Hawaii Workforce Pipeline (HWP), Arcadia, Hawaii Department of Education (HDOE), and the Kūpuna Collective, the UH Center on Aging (COA) has created a digital badge program called “Youth Leaders in Kūpuna Health”. The goal is to foster in high school students an increased awareness and understanding about aging, stronger empathy towards older adults, better soft skills including person-centered communication, and feel empowered to take action to improve the lives of older adults. The program targets public high school students in Health Career and Technical Education and Health Academy programs as well as private high school students.
COA is building industry recognition for this badge across senior living communities and other organizations in the Kūpuna Collective and aging network. This program is free for students. DOE will provide students who complete the requirements with a stipend. For students going to college, the digital badge can be part of their college and scholarship applications. For students who plan to work after high school, the badge can be part of their resume, LinkedIn profile, and email signature. 
Earning Criteria:
  • Complete mandatory eldercare training that includes empathy, person-centered communication, and dementia care, 
  • Complete a minimum of 60hrs of onsite work-based learning
  • Participate in regular check-ins to share progress, successes, and challenges
  • Design and implement a service project aligned to supporting eldercare needs
  • Submit a final work-based learning written reflection
  • Conduct oral presentation of service project learning and outcome
Skills:
  1. Elderly care
  2. Empathy
  3. Empowerment
  4. Companionship
Alignments:
Association for Gerontology in Higher Education Gerontology Competency Framework
This digital badge aligns with national standards across gerontology education, workforce development, and service-learning. Competencies are informed by the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education Gerontology Competency Framework.
National Youth Leadership Council K–12 Service-Learning Standards
This digital badge aligns with national standards across gerontology education, workforce development, and service-learning. The experiential components reflect best practices from the National Youth Leadership Council K–12 Service-Learning Standards. 
National Association of Colleges and Employers
The program also supports career readiness competencies identified by the National Association of Colleges and Employers 
For more information, contact Christy Nishita at cnishita@hawaii.edu

To enhance the well-being of older adults through interdisciplinary and collaborative efforts in research, educational programs, and service to the community

Contact

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Gartley Hall
2430 Campus Road
Honolulu, HI 96822

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  • Mail : uhcoa@hawaii.edu

The University of Hawaiʻi is an equal opportunity institution.

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