Students from Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) participating in the Off-Campus Learning Program (PLK) continue to demonstrate their meaningful contributions to local communities. Since February, students have been deployed to villages, institutions, and community organizations across the region to carry out community service, internships, and research projects. The program provides opportunities for students to innovate while making tangible contributions to society. One such initiative was carried out by the Arunika Mengabdi Team in Banaran IV Hamlet, Banaran Village, Playen District, Gunungkidul Regency.
The Arunika Mengabdi Team consisted of ten students from diverse academic backgrounds, including Javanese Language Education, English Language Education, Electrical Engineering Education, and Educational Management. Under the supervision of Alfian Anggoro Mukti, S.Pd., M.Pd., the team was led by Asvianita Anjani, with members Alif Karunia Nur'aini, Wanda Galuh Alam, Ashka Deva Nayara, Meyshinta Putri A., Agista Dwi Arum A., Rahma Syahri Haulian Simanjuntak, Muhammad Hamim Mustofa, Zidan Rahmani Latief, and Aqshal.
As all team members came from teacher education programs, they agreed to make after-school tutoring their flagship activity. According to team leader Anjani, the program was designed to help children complete school assignments and improve their understanding of subjects they found challenging. Tutoring sessions covered Javanese, English, and basic literacy and numeracy, with classes tailored to different age groups ranging from kindergarten to sixth-grade elementary students. The tutoring sessions were held every Saturday.
Beyond educational activities, the students actively participated in community life by joining local residents in various activities, including preparing meals for communal iftar at the mosque during Ramadan, planting vegetable seedlings, feeding livestock, and participating in community exercise sessions.
A distinctive feature of the team's community service program was its emphasis on introducing and preserving Javanese culture. The Javanese language tutoring program, designed for fourth- to sixth-grade elementary students, focused on teaching Javanese script (Aksara Jawa) as well as unggah-ungguh, the traditional etiquette and manners embedded in Javanese culture. Through enjoyable learning activities, children were encouraged to recognize, write, and memorize Javanese script while gaining a deeper appreciation of their cultural heritage.
The team also organized a Pranatacara (Javanese Master of Ceremonies) training workshop, which received enthusiastic participation from local youth organizations as well as adult community members.
"This became one of our most memorable moments because so many residents came and enthusiastically participated in the training," said Anjani.
Throughout the PLK program, Anjani explained that the team received strong support from the village head and the local community. Residents consistently attended and actively participated in the activities organized by the students. Nevertheless, the team also encountered challenges. Although many children initially expressed interest in the tutoring sessions, attendance sometimes declined as they preferred spending their free time playing. The team even created a WhatsApp group to improve communication and coordination, but participation remained inconsistent.
Reflecting on the experience, Anjani expressed her hope that the knowledge shared during the program would continue to benefit the community.
"We hope the knowledge we have shared will continue to be used, developed, and practiced so that future generations will help preserve Javanese culture. We also wish the people of Banaran Hamlet continued progress, prosperity, and success."
Through initiatives such as this, UNY's Off-Campus Learning Program demonstrates how community engagement can strengthen educational opportunities while preserving local cultural heritage, empowering both university students and the communities they serve.
