TALK STORY PROGRESS

When the NKCDP subcommittees, focus groups, NKCRC projects and non-profits addressing Kohalaʻs needs go before a County or State agency or write a grant proposal, the ideas generated during the Talk Story sessions become the “data” to prove this is what the Kohala Community wants and needs.

In 2006, Hawaiʻi County hired a consultant to work with a team of community members who hosted over 70 “talk story” sessions to gather community ideas for the future of Kohala.

730 Kohala people participated, 12.1% of the population
65% lived in Kohala at least 2 generations
Demographics matched the population of Kohala
Over 3,000 ideas were organized into 4 key areas which became the focus areas of the 2008 North Kohala Community Develpment Plan

In 2023 the Kohala Community Plan conducted a new round of Talk Story sessions to re-validate community input and include fresh ideas. Every idea offered by a community member in these sessions was recorded, and then the ideas were shared with the community focus groups already working on that topic to assist them in designing new goals and projects.