UNDIP, Semarang (26/1) – The Chair of the Posyandu Supervisory Team and Bunda PAUD Central Java Ambassador, Hj. Nawal Arafah Yasin has taken a strategic step to strengthen Early Childhood Education (PAUD) and Posyandu services in Central Java Province by initiating a collaboration with the Faculty of Psychology at Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP). This collaboration focuses on developing mental health services, enhancing human resource capacity, and providing more comprehensive support for child growth and development. The initiative was marked by an intensive audience meeting between the Central Java Posyandu Supervisory Team / Bunda PAUD and the leadership of the Faculty of Psychology at UNDIP. The audience was seated in the Faculty of Psychology Meeting Room at UNDIP Tembalang Campus, Semarang.
This meeting serves as an initial milestone in exploring cooperation, followed by the drafting of a Cooperation Agreement to implement measurable programs in the near future. The collaboration between the Bunda PAUD of Central Java and the Faculty of Psychology at Universitas Diponegoro aims to strengthen Posyandu and PAUD services focused on mental health and child development.
Through this partnership, the capacity of Posyandu cadres and PAUD educators will be strengthened through psychology-based training, including early detection of developmental issues and psychological assistance for children and families. The Faculty of Psychology UNDIP will also play a role in providing education and psychological services for vulnerable groups, with the aim of realizing Posyandu and PAUD services in Central Java that are more holistic, preventive, and sustainable.
According to Ning Nawal, children’s mental health has now become a crucial issue in community-based services because it is directly related to the quality of education and family well-being. She emphasized that psychological services must be integrated into the innovation within the six Community Minimum Service Standards (SPM) for Posyandu, which encompass various public service sectors. “To successfully implement the six SPMs, collaboration from many parties is needed, including universities,” she explained.
The Dean of the Faculty of Psychology UNDIP, Prof. Dian Ratna Sawitri, expressed the readiness of academics to support the collaboration. “We hope to establish closer cooperation in the areas of family psychology and mental health, as well as community empowerment, education for PAUD and Posyandu cadres, management of students with special needs, and mental health recovery in disaster-affected areas,” she stated.
UNDIP’s Faculty of Psychology also affirmed its readiness to deploy professional resources for training programs, assistance for children with special needs, and psychological interventions within communities.
This meeting marks the beginning of a collaborative process that will be followed by a needs assessment, the development of intervention modules, and the signing of a Cooperation Agreement between the Bunda PAUD’s Working Group at Central Java & Posyandu Supervisory Team and UNDIP’s Faculty of Psychology. This effort is expected to produce sustainable programs with a broad impact for children, families, and communities across Central Java, in line with the commitment of “Noble and Valuable UNDIP.” (Public Communication/UNDIP/Aldani)
