Bantul – Students participating in the Off-Campus Learning Program (PLK) at Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) recently carried out a community engagement project at Abdul 'Alim Orphanage in Imogiri, Bantul. The orphanage was selected as the program site because the children's age range and educational needs aligned closely with the academic backgrounds of the PLK team members, enabling them to apply their knowledge in meaningful community service.
The Arunika Asa PLK team consisted of ten students from various study programs across UNY. The team was led by Anugerah Bhakti Kuncoro, a Social Studies Education student, together with Difa Rose M. (Social Studies Education), Zunia Frida I. (French Language Education), Nabila Zahra P. B. (Accounting), Febronia Lelis K. (Social Studies Education), Noer Haliza F. (French Language Education), Tangguh Gladitama (Accounting), Maratus Sholihah (Social Studies Education), Nisrina Maulida (Physics Education), and Annisa Salsabila P. (Physics Education). The team was supervised by Dr. Duwi Kurnianto Pambudi, S.Or., M.Or.
Beginning their community service in early March, the team adopted the theme "Optimizing the Orphanage Environment as an Educational and Religious Space for Character Building and Youth Life Literacy." To achieve this objective, the students implemented ten individual projects tailored to their respective academic disciplines, alongside nine collaborative team programs.
One of the team's flagship initiatives was a fire safety awareness program, which included educational sessions, emergency response simulations, and practical demonstrations conducted with the participation of professional firefighters at Abdul 'Alim Orphanage. The program aimed to equip the children and staff with fundamental knowledge of fire prevention and emergency response, thereby improving safety awareness and preparedness within the orphanage.
Other engaging activities included science experiments demonstrating pulley systems and floating house models, as well as introductory French language lessons, allowing children to explore new scientific concepts and foreign language skills through enjoyable, interactive learning experiences.
The arrival of the Arunika Asa team was warmly welcomed by both the children and the management of Abdul 'Alim Orphanage. Throughout the program, participants showed strong enthusiasm and actively engaged in the educational activities organized by the UNY students.
The Arunika Asa team hopes that the programs they have implemented will continue to provide long-term benefits for the children and staff of the orphanage while broadening their knowledge and preparing them for future opportunities.
"Everything went very well. Our team worked harmoniously, communicated openly, and continuously evaluated one another throughout the program. We hope this experience and the knowledge we shared will become valuable lessons that can be applied in the future," said Anugerah Bhakti Kuncoro, leader of the Arunika Asa PLK team.
Through initiatives such as Arunika Asa, UNY's Off-Campus Learning Program demonstrates how interdisciplinary student collaboration can create meaningful educational, social, and character-building impacts within local communities while providing students with valuable real-world learning experiences.
