About Us
Youth Shelter Maui
The Hale Pono Teen Shelter provides a safe, short-term sanctuary for youth aged 12-17 on Maui. Our primary goal is to reunite families or find long-term solutions for youth. We offer essential necessities and opportunities for personal growth, but we are not a treatment facility. Therapeutic services are available as needed to support youth and families.
Beyond basic needs, we strive to meet emotional needs, teaching conflict resolution and fostering an environment of respect and understanding. You don’t need to reside at the shelter to participate in our fun and educational drop-in and outreach programs, which are mostly free of charge. For eligibility details, see our Admissions section.
Our Non Profit
The Hale Pono shelter is a project of the Teran James Young Foundation, which also offers services under the name NVCnextgen. The Teran James Young Foundation is a Maui-based non-profit that strives to create greater peace in the world through cultivating the skills and lessons of Nonviolent Communication in Hawaii’s youth (hence, the name NVCnextgen, or Nonviolent Communication for the next generation). One of our main priorities is mental health and educating youth on how they can take care of their mental and emotional health.
Along with the Hale Pono Shelter, the Teran James Young Foundation offers many other services and programs to the island’s schools and greater community, including Maluhia Mediation, which helps Maui residents move through conflict in a way that cultivates connection and deepens their relationships, and the Restorative Justice Center, which provides restorative alternatives to traditional punitive justice methods, focusing on repairing harm and re-establishing harmony in relationships and the community, rather than on simply punishing the offender.
To learn more about the Teran James Young Foundation and the programs and services we offer, please visit our website at teranjy.org.
Our Mission
At Hale Pono, we strive to go beyond basic needs (food, clothing, shelter) and meet as many needs as we can: love, respect, collaboration, cooperation, and being heard and seen for who you are. Our intent is to create a space where youth can re-boot, recharge, and re-energize their lives in a positive and fulfilling direction while learning how to take care of their mental health.
We work with youth, groups who impact our youth, and our community to support and create a nonviolent restorative community by:
- Sheltering youth and teaching them nonviolent, restorative ways of being
- Providing a restorative practices center that supports Restorative Justice, Nonviolent communication, mediation services, and Restorative schools and community programs
Access to the shelter and its programs is completely voluntary. Hale Pono programs and activities will be free of charge and open to youth in the community. Youth do not need to be residing at the shelter to participate in our fun, educational, and nurturing programs.
Our Vision
Hale Pono Teen Shelter and Restorative Justice Center is a sanctuary of love, care, and safety where all are seen and heard for who they truly are. We create a world where all “needs” matter and where love and kindness guide our lives. We contribute to world peace by cultivating Nonviolent Communication, Mediation and Restorative Practices for youth and the community. Mental health and physical health is at the forefront of our programs and resources at the shelter.
Hale Pono Team
A Message from our Founders
Seeing the need for a sanctuary space for youth on Maui, our founders, Dr. Genesis Young and Sulara James stepped up to create this privately funded youth shelter.
“We look forward to working with the youth and their families and the community to make things as right as possible to support the healing and development and education of the youth and our community in nonviolent communication, trauma informed/invested practices and restorative practices.” – Genesis Young M.D., Executive Director of the Network for Nonviolent Communication.
“Hale Pono is based on our belief that each person of any age is precious, and that love, honor, and respect are the keys to supporting and encouraging everyone’s gifts, happiness, self-respect, and success in life.” – Sulara James
