ACICIS Study Indonesia was excited to welcome 13 students on our Development Studies Professional Practicum (DSPP) in January-February 2018. These students were welcomed to Jakarta from 11 Australian universities, including Flinders University, The University of Adelaide, Griffith University, The University of Queensland, The University of the Sunshine Coast, The University of Western Australia, Murdoch University, RMIT University, The University of New South Wales, The University of Newcastle, and The University of Tasmania. Of this year’s DSPP students, 7 received a $3,000 New Colombo Plan mobility grant to assist them on the program.
Upon arrival to Jakarta, the DSPP students undertook two weeks of Indonesian language classes at Atma Jaya Catholic University along with a series of development seminars presented by professionals with an intimate knowledge of development issues in Indonesia.
Some key highlights of the seminar series were field visits to organisations working on the frontline of development in Indonesia. Students visited SD Menteng, a primary school in Bogor, and had the opportunity to learn about Warung Anak Sehat (WAS). The program empowers schools and school warungs to provide healthy snacks for students, and is operated by CARE in 70 schools in the Bogor area. During the visit, DSPP students played some ‘healthy food’ games with the primary school students, and later had a Q&A session with CARE, the school’s warung manager, dedicated healthcare staff, and teachers and parents to discuss how nutrition is linked to community development.
Students also visited Kampung Tongkol, a river community in Jakarta. During this visit, DSPP students learned how Kampung Tongkol adopted a more eco-friendly way of living, including by rebuilding their homes, and cleaning up the river. For a bit of fun, DSPP students tried crossing the Ciliwung River by a traditional boat.
Students then undertook professional placements at a wide range of development organisations based in Jakarta, as well as other parts of Indonesia, including in Bandung and Yogyakarta. These placements ran over four weeks, and students were exposed to development movements in real time. Students were placed in local and international development organisations tackling gender equality, migration, food security, health and more, including Yayasan Usaha Mulia (YUM), The World Food Programme, CARE Indonesia, Kemitraan, Rutgers WPF, Biogas Rumah, Filantropi, Greenpeace Indonesia, The International Organisation for Migration, MAMPU, IDH Sustainable Trade, Plan International Indonesia, and Wahana Visi Indonesia.
ACICIS would like to extend congratulations to all students who participated in the DSPP this year for undertaking a challenging and exciting opportunity to gain professional experience in Indonesia’s growing development sector.