Kahuku local, Faleaka Faleta, said she has worked as a youth correctional officer for 11 years at the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility in Kailua.
Faleta said while the job is challenging, her passion and love for Hawaii’s youth motivates her every day.
“There are no words to describe how rewarding it can be when you put your whole heart into working with the youth of Hawaii because this is our future.”
Faleta shared the purpose and mission of the facility. “We’re trying to deter [youth] from future problems and help them overcome some of the things they’ve gone through, so when they go home, they can transition and function in society and make good, informed choices.”
Faleta said many of the children admitted into the facility come in with emotional scars and trauma from their personal lives. As a team, Faleta said they work hard to help them heal from the pain they have endured throughout their short lifetimes.
“Most of these kids are told every single day they’re worthless. But as they come in, you see the trauma and the pain slowly go away as they meet with the team members who help them cope. You see the growth.”
For Faleta, she said a successful day at work is knowing she helped make at least one child’s day better. Seeing a child leave better than when they came is one of the best parts of her job, she said. “Going into work, you’ve got to know these are troubled kids who just need some love and attention. I go in each day with the mentality if I can help make one kid’s day better and keep them safe, I think I did well for the day.”
Faleta said the facility also functions as a sort of rehab center where the youth have access to social workers, probation officers, mediation and other programs to assist in their progression. She said these programs provide the youth with the help and tools they need to succeed.
“Our goal is to deter them from going through the system by teaching them coping skills.”
Faleta said through these programs, they learn how to talk to people, how to cope with their anger and how to have fun without drugs.
As a correctional officer, Faleta expressed the heartache that comes along with the job. “It’s especially hard to see them give up and lose hope. Some of them do not want to face their issues because the pain is too great. It’s difficult to see them resist the healing process because they don’t want to deal with the pain.”
Faleta said the most rewarding part of her job is to see the youth succeed after leaving the facility.
“To see them make a name for themselves and not go back to their old ways and instead make a better life for themselves, that’s the most rewarding part of my job.”
To see them make a name for themselves and not go back to their old ways and instead make a better life for themselves, that’s the most rewarding part of my job.
In working with troubled youth, Faleta said, “There’s still more to do. There is so much more we can do to better the system, but for now, we’re doing the best we can.”
As a mother of five, Faleta said her job has helped her be a better mother. She said, “The job is such a huge blessing. It’s taught me so much. It’s changed how I interact with my own children and how I can better help them.”
Faleta urged parents to listen and pay close attention to their children. She said the most influential and essential interactions take place in the home. “Right now, we’re so busy as moms and dads with life that our children might get lost and end up in the system because nobody is home to teach the fundamentals of how to succeed or overcome. It all starts in the home.
“They are our future, so we need to pay more attention. It’s so important for parents to make sure they listen and allow their children to talk. Listen to their needs and be able to talk about hard things. When your child comes to you for help, listen.”
Faleta’s daughter, Ame Faleta, said her mother “watches young inmates every day, and to know they’re God’s children motivates her even more to help and guide them. ... She loves her inmates and always prays that one day they may feel and find our Savior’s love and to know that, despite their wrongdoings, there is someone who loves them regardless.”
Whether it’s singing, working or cleaning, Ame Faleta said her mom always gives her all. As her daughter, she said she admires her mom’s faith and that her mom puts God first in everything they do as a family. “She always puts Him first, and even though I’ve seen her struggle, she never gives up.”
Faleaka Faleta’s cousin, Finau Niutupuivaha, expressed gratitude for Faleta’s example. She said, “I’m grateful for a friend who endures the hard times and continues pushing forward, believing in a higher power that will protect and guide her every step of the way.”