The Social Welfare Study Program (IKS), Faculty of Da'wah and Communication, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, carried out an international community engagement initiative titled Community Visit in collaboration with a delegation from the School of Social Work at McGill University. The visit took place at the Paguyuban Pengajar Pinggir Sungai (P3S) community in Sendowo, Yogyakarta, on Monday, January 27, 2025. The program was designed to introduce international scholars to community-based empowerment practices through immersive, field-based learning.

P3S is a non-formal education community founded by M. Husain Maulana, a 2013 graduate of UIN Sunan Kalijaga's Social Welfare Study Program. What began as a student-led initiative to mentor children living along the banks of the Code River has grown into a vibrant community learning center dedicated to education, literacy, arts, community organizing, and local capacity building.

The McGill delegation was led by Professor Nicole Ives, Director of the School of Social Work at McGill University. During the visit, participants engaged in discussions with P3S leaders, volunteers, and community members about the organization's origins, its participatory model of community development, the challenges it has encountered, and the social impact it has generated over more than a decade. The program also included a neighborhood tour, an introduction to the community reading house (Rumah Baca), and interactions with children participating in P3S educational activities.

For the Social Welfare Study Program at UIN Sunan Kalijaga, P3S has long been a valued field education partner. Over the years, the organization has provided practicum placements that enable students to strengthen their community social work competencies through direct engagement with local communities. This enduring partnership reflects the program's commitment to integrating academic learning with real-world social needs.

The Community Visit also demonstrated how a social initiative founded by university students can evolve into a recognized best practice with international relevance. By fostering collaboration among universities, alumni, and community organizations, the program underscores the potential of grassroots innovation to enrich social work education and inspire community empowerment initiatives, both in Indonesia and beyond.