Karanganyar, Jawa Tengah – The involvement of young generations plays a crucial role in national development. Aware of this, Ayu Nisa’Usholihah, a Public Administration student from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) at Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP) and a participant in UNDIP’s Community Service Program (KKN) Team II 2023/2024, initiated a community empowerment program.
Titled “Positive Branding: Empowered Youth, Thriving Community!”, this initiative was aimed at the youth organization (Karang Taruna) of Dungiri Sub-Village, Bolong Village, Karanganyar District, Karanganyar Regency, and took place on Saturday, July 27.
One of the simplest ways to foster community engagement is through active participation in youth organizations. To maximize their impact, these organizations must be systematically managed. This goal can be achieved by applying positive branding strategies on social media to attract public attention.
The main objective of this program was to educate and train Karang Taruna members on the importance of building a strong and positive identity for their organization. Effective branding provides an organization with recognition, values, and a strong public perception.
In the digital era, social media has become a powerful tool for attracting public interest. By utilizing social media effectively, Karang Taruna can strengthen its public image and increase community engagement.
During the session, UNDIP Community Service students explained the importance and benefits of positive branding, along with practical tips on how to create engaging and informative social media content.
To help with implementation, they also provided examples of publication materials that Karang Taruna of the Dungiri Sub-Village could use to develop its social media presence.
Moreover, recognizing that Karang Taruna of the Dungiri Sub-Village previously did not have an official social media account, the Community Service students assisted in setting up an Instagram account as their primary platform. Instagram was chosen due to its large and diverse active user base, making it an ideal platform for youth engagement.
Nisa, the initiator of this program, expressed her hope that this initiative would bring long-term benefits to Karang Taruna of the Dungiri Sub-Village. Through effective social media management, Karang Taruna of the Dungiri Sub-Village will be able to expand its social initiatives and strengthen its role in community development.
Written by: Ayu Nisa’Usholihah (Public Administration – Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, UNDIP)
