MAROS — Team DEKOMPAK, made up of students in the Master’s Program in Communication Studies at Hasanuddin University (Unhas), won the Best Video award at Youth in Action 2, organized by PT Kalimantan Prima Persada (KPP Mining). The award recognized an audiovisual work documenting the students’ community service in building the capacity of residents and tourism operators in the Rammang-Rammang area, Maros Regency.
Youth in Action 2 gives students room to design and carry out social projects that benefit the community. Team DEKOMPAK highlighted Rammang-Rammang’s potential as a leading tourist destination by developing a number of activities that combine communication, safety, the creative economy, cleanliness, and supporting tourism facilities.
In an interview, Team Leader Nur Hikma explained that the achievement began with a social project carried out over three months, from April to June, in Rammang-Rammang. The team chose strengthening the capacity of residents and tourism operators as its main focus, combining approaches to communication, safety, the creative economy, and supporting tourism facilities.
“We saw that Rammang-Rammang has very great tourism potential. So we tried to look at the needs on the ground and design programs that could support the community and tourism operators, from the ability to communicate with tourists, to safety, content management, and the development of local economic potential,” explained Hikma.
The capacity-building program was carried out through Guiding Training for residents and tourism operators. The activity aimed to improve guides’ ability to convey information about the destination while building effective communication with tourists.
The safety aspect was strengthened through Occupational Health and Safety (K3) Training, held together with IATTA. The training provided an understanding of safety in tourism activities, particularly for those who interact directly with tourists.
In the digital space, Hikma and the team delivered Content Management Training for residents and tourism managers. The training aimed to strengthen their ability to manage information and develop destination content so that Rammang-Rammang’s potential can be introduced in more creative ways.
Meanwhile, creative economy development was carried out through training in making souvenirs from nipa palm leaves. Hikma and the team also supported tourism services by providing life vests for boat drivers, trash bins, and directional signs to make tourists more comfortable.
“This award is certainly a source of pride for us, but the experience of interacting directly with the community is the most valuable thing. We learned that a contribution does not always have to be big, but can start from needs that the community genuinely feels,” added Nur Hikmah.
On the same occasion, Prof. Dr. Tuti Bahfiarti, S.Sos., M.Si., the team’s supervisor and Head of the Quality Assurance Group for Reputation Enhancement (GPM PR) of the Unhas Graduate School, said the social project gave students room to apply the knowledge they have gained to real problems in society.
“Students do not only learn to understand theory, but also how to apply it when facing community needs. They learn to identify problems, design programs, build communication, and work together with the community,” explained Prof. Tuti.
Prof. Tuti said the communication approach used by Team DEKOMPAK is relevant to community-based tourism development. Residents’ ability to convey information, build interaction with tourists, and manage digital communication can help strengthen the destination’s potential.
“Communication in this context does not stop at conveying information. Communication is also part of the process of building community involvement so that people have the capacity to manage and present their own region’s potential,” added Prof. Tuti.
During video production, Team DEKOMPAK also received guidance from Cahyo Alkantana, a nature documentary filmmaker and ecotourism pioneer from Yogyakarta known for developing Jomblang Cave. The mentoring helped the team package its series of community service activities in audiovisual form.
The activities also support SDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth by strengthening the capacity of tourism operators and the creative economy, SDG 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities through community-based destination development, and SDG 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production by making use of local potential and materials.
The award was presented during an awarding ceremony held on Friday (28 August) at the Ballroom, 1st Floor M, PAMA 2 Building, Jakarta, and was handed over in person by KPP Mining President Director Wahyu Widaryanto.
The members of Team DEKOMPAK are:
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Tuti Bahfiarti, S.Sos., M.Si., and Cahyo Alkantana
Team Leader: Nur Hikmah
Members:
1. Mufida Saediman Mboe
2. Husnul Hatima
3. Urfiah Umar
(*/mir)
Editor: Ishaq Rahman
This article is an English translation of the original Indonesian report.