Using Fun Learning Method, the Ministry of Social Affairs Creates Youth Character Building Education

BATURRADEN, FRIDAY (March 10, 2023) - As one of the strategies to build communication, convey information, and educate the public, the Ministry of Social Affairs through Satria Center Baturraden is providing social counseling with the theme "The Dangers of Drug Addiction, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Juvenile Delinquency".

Taking place in the Workshop Hall and Education Information Center (PIE) Sentra Satria in Baturraden, 80 students of SMPN 3 Ajibarang participated in this activity with great enthusiasm. Accompanied by the teacher, the participants, who were mostly 13-14 years old, took part in various activities.

Using a fun learning approach, the education delivered is about youth health knowledge related to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to games that involve teamwork that is full of information about the dangers of drug abuse. It's no longer taboo or obscure information but educational according to age. To provide comprehensive services, in practice it is not only social counselors who are involved but also collaborates with other professionals such as social workers, nurses, and psychologists.

Head of Satria Center Baturraden, Darmanto said that this activity was part of the Ministry of Social Affairs' task to help restore social functions. “Satria Center has undergone several nomenclature changes, but the point is that they are still present in the community. The targets include children, elderly, disabilities, and vulnerable groups. The task is to restore their social function, that is, to be able to solve problems, although in practice it's okay if you are assisted by an adult. Then can meet the needs. For school children, it is more about what needs to be done, for example, learning and their level of development according to their age. The last is being able to carry out the role and status well. At school as a student and at home as a child. So in a day, we can play various roles according to the place," said Darmanto.

From an educational point of view, social counseling activities like this are part of building students' character, including motivating them. This was conveyed by Titi Yulianti, the Principal of SMPN 3 Ajibarang accompanied by the Supervisor of the SMPN Work Unit of Banyumas Regency Education Office, Ida Yuningsih.

"Sometimes juvenile delinquency can be said to be normal as long as it does not harm themselves and others. However, the school continues to supervise. Children do not yet understand what a dangerous environment is like, so dissemination like this is important," said Titi.

"Besides that, social media activities. For example, Tiktok. That is part of expressing identity as long as it is still following the norms that apply in society," added Ida.

The dynamics of adolescent life as today's generation need attention from their immediate environment, namely school, and family. There are developmental tasks that must be fulfilled so that the formation of self-character and self-concept becomes important in adolescence. Likewise with the various information they get. The hope is that if they have the provision of knowledge related to the dangers of drug abuse, they can be more selective in carrying out their developmental tasks.

According to Satria Center Psychological Team in Baturraden, adolescents experience periods of storm and stress or refer to the search for identity, including body changes that also affect stress and storm in adolescents. "One of the tasks of the adolescent development stage is to build interpersonal relationships, including with peers and the opposite sex, so you need a lot of information and support to get through it well," concluded Winda, one of the psychological teams at Satria Center Baturraden.