The Social Welfare Study Program, Faculty of Da'wah and Communication, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, held a pre-departure orientation for students participating in the 120th Community Service Program (KKN) for the 2025/2026 Short Semester on Thursday (June 25, 2026) at the Teatrikal Dakwah Hall. The two-hour program, held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., brought together 60 third-year Social Welfare students as part of their academic preparation before being deployed to community placements across Indonesia.

The 120th KKN Program, scheduled to run from July 8 to August 23, 2026, will involve 107 Social Welfare students, including 105 students from the Class of 2023 and two students from the Class of 2022. Participants will serve in 23 regencies and municipalities across seven Indonesian provinces—Yogyakarta Special Region, Central Java, East Java, West Java, Bali, Aceh, West Kalimantan, and Maluku—as well as one international placement in Selangor, Malaysia.

Unlike the technical briefing organized by the University's Institute for Research and Community Service (LP2M), this orientation was specifically designed by the Social Welfare Study Program to strengthen students' academic and professional identity as future social welfare administrators and professional social workers. The program encouraged students to view KKN not merely as a community engagement requirement but as an opportunity to translate nearly 100 completed credit hours into meaningful practice within real communities.

The event opened with welcoming remarks from Afifah Afra Azzahroh, followed by a recitation of the Holy Qur'an by Farhanur Alim. Ade Rius Iman, representing the Social Welfare Class of 2023, then addressed his fellow students, emphasizing the importance of solidarity, teamwork, and upholding the reputation of the Social Welfare Study Program throughout their community service experience.

The keynote session was delivered by Muhammad Izzul Haq, S.Sos., M.Sc., Ph.D., Head of the Social Welfare Study Program, who also led an interactive discussion and question-and-answer session.

In his presentation, Izzul emphasized that Social Welfare students approach community service from a perspective that distinguishes them from students in other academic disciplines.

"KKN is more than community service; it is a laboratory of Social Welfare. In the field, students put classroom knowledge into practice while engaging directly with the realities of community life," he said.

He also highlighted the profession's three-dimensional competency framework—the body of knowledge, body of skills, and body of values—as the professional foundation that students are expected to cultivate throughout their KKN experience.

The body of knowledge, he explained, enables students to understand social issues comprehensively, identify vulnerable populations, analyze the root causes of social problems, and map community resources and strengths. The body of skills encompasses communication, social assessment, group facilitation, advocacy, networking, and problem-solving. Meanwhile, the body of values is reflected in empathy, respect for human dignity, social justice, participation, inclusivity, and a commitment to non-discrimination.

Haq further connected these competencies to the four strategic themes of UIN Sunan Kalijaga's KKN program, which align with the priorities of Indonesia's Ministry of Religious Affairs: Excellent, Inclusive, and Integrated Education; Social Harmony and Human Solidarity; Community Economic Empowerment; and Ecotheology.

According to him, Social Welfare students can make meaningful contributions to each of these themes through social welfare and social work approaches aimed at enhancing the social functioning of individuals, families, groups, and communities.

"Wherever your KKN placement may be, your identity as Social Welfare students should remain visible," he told participants. "Don't simply ask what activities you are expected to organize. Ask what social issues need to be understood and what solutions can be developed together with the community."

Additional emphasis was placed on the need for KKN students to strengthen social cohesion in diverse communities and to continue promoting religious moderation throughout their KKN placements.

Following the orientation, participants attended an introduction to Harmonest, presented by Hanania Rahima Putrina and her team. The session featured educational games, simulations, and demonstrations of interactive learning tools designed to support educational activities and community empowerment initiatives during KKN, particularly in children's education and community capacity building.

The program concluded with a closing prayer led by Awwali Iqraam, followed by a group photograph of participants, speakers, and organizers.

Through this orientation, the Social Welfare Study Program hopes that its students will enter the Community Service Program not only with administrative and technical readiness but also with a strong professional identity grounded in the knowledge, skills, and values of social work. Equipped with these competencies, students are expected to make meaningful contributions to society while exemplifying the mission and values of the Social Welfare Study Program at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta.