VOICES OF PACIFIC ISLAND NATIONS VPIN
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Mission Statement
Mission Statement: The Voices of Pacific Island Nations (VOPIN) is committed to inspiring Pasefika (Pacific Islander) students and families by providing high-quality, culturally responsive services and resources to eliminate educational and opportunity inequities. We serve as a bridge to develop stronger relationships between students, schools, families, and the community. Vision Statement: We envision a vibrant and interconnected community rich in cultural identity in which the youth of Pasefika communities thrive and are empowered to contribute to the ongoing legacy of strength, resilience, and inspiration for generations to come.
About This Cause
Overview Voices of Pacific Island Nations (VOPIN) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes and academic achievement. VOPIN was established as a grassroots movement to respond to the significant educational gaps faced by Pasefika. VOPIN has grown from a volunteer-only organization in 2020 to a team of four full time employees and a cadre of 20 dedicated volunteers in 2025. Volunteers serve as mentors, teach cultural education classes, and support community and cultural events. They also serve on our Advisory Council, ensuring community engagement in needs assessments, program development, and continuous quality improvement. VOPIN’s growth has been driven by effective programs, strong partnerships, and a reputation throughout the community for quality services. Statement of Need VOPIN is based in Kitsap County, Washington (population 277,658) and serves Kitsap and the surrounding areas in the Puget Sound region. While we develop programs and services for Pasefika cultural resonance, we welcome and serve everyone, regardless of race/ethnicity. Pasefika are a high-risk population with significant disparities. In the 2022/23 academic year, Washington’s Pasefika students had the highest rate of homelessness of any race or ethnicity; nearly 12% of youth experiencing homelessness were Pasefika. This is more than three times the statewide (all students) rate of 3.8%. In the Puget Sound, Pasefika median earnings are less than $30,000 per year. More than one-third of Pasefika households are food insecure. Education is the key to escaping poverty, yet poverty itself creates barriers to accessing and succeeding in education. These barriers include limited access to resources like tutoring and transportation, increasing the need for youth to work, causing housing instability, and contributing to food insecurity and unmet health needs that affect learning and attendance. Nationally, less than half of Pasefika attend college. Of those who attend, half leave without a degree. In the Puget Sound, only 11% have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared with 44% of White people. Statewide, less than half of Pasefika students are passing all of their ninth-grade courses. Pasefika have the lowest rates of any race/ethnicity in kindergarten readiness, meeting grade-level standards in math and science and passing all of their ninth-grade courses. No other organizations provide culturally resonant educational support for Pasefika in Kitsap County. However, we work closely with many other local nonprofit organizations with similar missions. We have Memoranda of Agreement or contracts with Olympic Community of Health, Kitsap Community Resources, Kitsap Mental Health Services, and the Bremerton School District. VOPIN is an active member of the Peninsula Early Childhood Education Coalition, the Kitsap Strong Leadership Committee, and the Kitsap Opioid Prevention Workgroup. Our work has never been more critical. Right now, we are navigating a convergence of challenges that threaten the well-being of the communities we serve. Recent reports have highlighted a surge in racist activities and white supremacist organizing in our service area (Kitsap County, WA), instilling fear and insecurity among Pasifika and other BIPOC communities. Our local newspaper, the Kitsap Sun, recently covered this alarming trend, underscoring the urgent need for proactive, culturally grounded support systems. The federal funding streams we intended to apply for this year have been frozen, placing our current programs and future initiatives at even greater risk. Without immediate alternative funding sources, our ability to sustain and expand vital services for Pasifika youth and families is in jeopardy. At a time when our communities are facing increased threats, we need partners who are willing to step up and invest in solutions that protect and empower BIPOC youth and families. Programs and Services We currently have three programs that provide direct services. Navigating Education is a school-based program that improves educational outcomes through tutoring, attendance interventions, mentoring, social-emotional learning, and cultural education. This program is based at Bremerton High School and Mountain View Middle school and currently serves 160 youth. As a school-based program, Navigating Education runs during the school day and after school in close collaboration with teachers and school staff. It operates five days a week at Bremerton High School and three days per week at Mountain View Middle School. Our summer program, Wayfinder, is an extension of Navigating Education that provides academic supports, social-emotional supports, and a stronger emphasis on cultural education. Youth in our summer program have the option to also learn Pasefika music and dance and perform at community cultural events. The Fetu Tai‘ala Internship Program connects youth with employment opportunities that align with their career and educational goals and equips them with job skills, professional development, and workforce readiness. It supports secondary education through help with college search, applications, financial aid applications, and education skills such as study habits and time management. Interns also serve as peer mentors and tutors in Navigating Education. Care Navigation provides a full spectrum of case management - from outreach through referral - to connect individuals with resources that address social determinants of health and promote self-sufficiency. It is in partnership with Kitsap Community Resources (social services provider) and Olympic Community of Health's Olympic Connect program. Olympic Connect is one of nine regional care hubs located throughout Washington State. It is a community-driven network of partners on the Kitsap and Olympic Peninsulas that connects people to services that improve social determinants of health, including economic stability, education access and quality, health care access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, social and community context. We also have two programs that are ready for implementation. The first is a Youth Leadership program that will empower youth to identify their purpose and passions, apply critical thinking, and advocate for community change. The second is a community-based, intergenerational Pasefika language instruction program that will enhance linguistic proficiency and community engagement. Both are fully developed and ready for implementation as soon as sufficient resources are acquired. All of our programs are developed following our annually-updated Strategic Plan, which is guided in part by our annual community Needs Assessment and regular focus groups with participants to ensure we are addressing the needs and gaps identified by those we serve. Each new program is developed with logic models tied to evaluation plans and Continuous Quality Improvement. Outcomes include improved academic skills, school/climate connectedness, educational outcomes, and career/secondary education readiness. Governance VOPIN is governed by a nine-member Board of Directors that includes Pasefika families, educators, and social service providers. It also includes youth who are provided with the skills and empowerment to participate fully in governance. This ensures that the community we serve is deeply involved in decision-making, strategic planning, and program oversight. Our Advisory Council includes staff, volunteers, community members, and youth enrolled in our internship program. Our Board and Advisory Council meet quarterly to provide financial oversight, review program effectiveness, and ensure alignment with our mission and vision. Citations US Census Bureau (n.d.), QuickFacts, retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/kitsapcountywashington/PST045223, accessed January 2025 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (2024), REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE UPDATE: Data on Students Experiencing Homelessness, 2024, retrieved from https://app.leg.wa.gov/ReportsToTheLegislature/Home/GetPDF?fileName=01-24-update-homeless-student-education-outcomes_217e0728-1add-48c0-8c65-e5772208a73b.pdf, accessed September 2024 Puget Sound Regional Council (May 25, 2022), The diversity of Asian and Pasefika experiences, retrieved from www.psrc.org/about-us/media-hub/diversity-asian-and-pacific-islander-experiences, accessed April 2024 Pasefika Community Association of Washington (2024), Washington State Native Hawaiian and Pasefika Community Data Report 2019-2024 Teranishi, Robert T. et al (2019), Asian and Pasefika American Scholars, Native Hawaiians and Pasefikas in Higher Education: A Call to Action Puget Sound Regional Council (May 25, 2022), The diversity of Asian and Pasefika experiences, retrieved from www.psrc.org/about-us/media-hub/diversity-asian-and-pacific-islander-experiences, accessed April 2024 Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Washington State Report Card, retrieved from washingtonstatereportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us, accessed August 2023