The Social Welfare Study Program (IKS) at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, in collaboration with the Yogyakarta Regional Chapter of the Independent Professional Social Workers Association of Indonesia (DPD IPSPI DIY), organized a Social Worker Competency Examination Preparation Program on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at the Old Rectorate Building, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta. The initiative aimed to equip senior students and recent graduates with practical and professional preparation ahead of Indonesia’s 2026 social worker certification process.

Opening the event, Muhammad Izzul Haq, Ph.D., Head of the Social Welfare Study Program at UIN Sunan Kalijaga, welcomed the collaborative partnership between the university and IPSPI DIY, emphasizing its strategic importance in preparing future professionals for the increasingly demanding field of social work.

“This collaboration is an important step toward strengthening the readiness of final-year students and fresh graduates as prospective competency examination participants, ensuring they are better prepared to enter professional practice and contribute quality social services to society,” he said.

The program featured two social work practitioners as keynote speakers: Almira Lutfiah, M.Tr.Sos., a social worker at UPT RPSLUT Budhi Dharma Yogyakarta, and Hani Puspita Dewi, S.Sos., M.A., a social worker at the Women’s Empowerment, Child Protection, Population Control, and Family Planning Office (P3APPKB) of Bantul Regency.

Participants were first introduced to the broader role of IPSPI DIY as a professional organization dedicated to strengthening competency standards, professional ethics, and capacity building for social workers through training initiatives, scientific forums, and institutional partnerships.

A central focus of the workshop was Indonesia’s social worker certification framework, which recognizes professional qualifications and competencies through standardized assessment mechanisms. Speakers highlighted certification as an increasingly important instrument for ensuring service quality, enhancing professional credibility, and strengthening accountability within social welfare practice.

The speakers also outlined certification pathways through educational qualifications, written examinations, competency interviews, and field practice documentation. Participants received guidance regarding eligibility requirements, including supervised practice experience, professional recommendations, and engagement with professional networks such as IPSPI.

Technical preparation for the competency examination became another major theme of discussion. Students learned that the written examination is conducted online using case-based multiple-choice questions, while competency interviews are administered virtually with professional assessors. Speakers emphasized the importance of technological readiness, familiarity with social welfare legislation, and mastery of core professional concepts such as case management, social rehabilitation, social protection, needs assessment, and intervention frameworks widely used in social work practice.

The training also strengthened participants’ understanding of case documentation and professional assessment writing — essential components in competency evaluation. Discussions covered problem identification, intervention planning, evaluation strategies, and the application of theoretical perspectives including Person-in-Environment (PIE), systems theory, psychosocial approaches, crisis intervention theory, and ecological systems theory.

Closing the event, M. Husain Maulana, Chair of DPD IPSPI DIY, delivered a motivational session encouraging participants to sustain solidarity, strengthen professional networks, and nurture their commitment to social service.

He reminded participants that becoming a social worker extends beyond obtaining credentials.

“It is also about maintaining humanity, solidarity, and commitment to those who need support the most,” he emphasized.

The program reflected the Social Welfare Study Program’s broader commitment to preparing graduates who are not only academically grounded but also professionally equipped to navigate the evolving landscape of social welfare services in Indonesia.