The resource center has been building community capacity for sustainability through education and training initiatives.  These trainings develop networks, strengthen ties between local communities and government agencies, and build leadership, organizational, and community capacity for sustainability.  Here is a summary of past trainings sponsored by HCRC:

• The Natural Step Workshops and Presentations - Senior Advisors from The Natural Step came to Hawai‘i in June 2009 to hold one two-day and one half-day workshops, and five educational seminars.  A total of 242 people attended. The Natural Step Framework outlines how to use a strategic approach to sustainability as an enabling strategy to mitigate risk, capture opportunity, and build a resilient, economically viable organization or community.  In partnership with The Kohala Center, a fiscal sponsor.
  

• Hawai‘i Island Homegrown Food Self-Reliance Workshops - with more than 85% of our food imported from off-island, this project addressed our community’s food security by focusing on food grown in home gardens. Local experts, organized by Permanent Agricultural Resources, in four island regions (Kona, North Kohala, Pāhoa, and Ka‘ū) presented at four one-day workshops on a wide range of topics, including sustainable traditional Hawai‘ian and Pacific island methods; abundant, easy-to-grow garden crops; growing food on lava and in containers; soil, plants, and human health; water conservation in the garden; raising poultry; on-farm methods of building soil fertility; storing food in the landscape; and starting a garden from scratch. A total of 249 people attended the workshops.  

• Sustainable Living Education Series - This series featured four classes in Hilo and Kona organized by Sustainable Living Institute and Green Collar Technology.   These classes offered education, networking and information about green jobs such as: alternative power basics, rainwater harvesting, sustainable gardening, and sustainability applied.  A total of 210 people attended the workshops. 

• Alaka’i Community Leadership Series - Workshop was segmented into three themes:  The “Training of Leaders” series of workshops offered by the Family and Community Leadership (FCL) program; The “Welcoming Diversity” workshop offered by the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI); The “Building the Beloved Community” workshop offered by Puanani Burgess.  A total of 105 people attended the workshops. 

• The “Green Power Hero” (GPHero) Youth Sustainability Series – This series promoted and encouraged numerous clean energy, conservation and sustainability actions through twenty two school assemblies, curriculum development and events.  The GPHero Program reached thousands of students and hundreds of teachers in all areas of Hawai‘i Island.  The goal to empower schools, students and teachers with information, tools and actions to support the emerging green economy was felt Island wide strengthening the role our youth and schools play in economic self-sufficiency.  A total of 4,512 youth attended the workshops.

• National Charrette Institute - Training for Dynamic Planning - A one day introduction to Charrette and a five day Dynamic Planning and Managmeent: A collaborative accelerated community planning training workhsop for County planners, engineers, data analyst, economic and community development specialist was conducted by Bill Lennertz from National Charrette Institute (NCI) in April 14 - 18, 2008. 

• Basic Facilitation Training I and II - Between May 2005 to December 2008, the resource center built a network of trained volunteers and facilitators to foster and promote collaboration by offering over 40 facilitation trainings.