Assisting the Development of the PCMI Jambi Province Secretariat as a Center for Youth Development, Education, and Community Engagement
Keywords:
Community Engagement, Institutional Development, Youth Empowerment, Organizational Capacity Building, Participatory Action Research, PCMI.Abstract
Community engagement is one of the core responsibilities of higher education institutions, aiming to apply academic knowledge and professional expertise to address societal needs and strengthen community institutions. One important aspect of community engagement is assisting community organizations in improving their organizational capacity through infrastructure development and institutional strengthening. The PCMI (Purna Caraka Muda Indonesia) Jambi Province Secretariat serves as the operational center for educational, youth, leadership, and social activities. However, the existing facilities were inadequate to support its expanding functions due to outdated electrical installations, insufficient lighting, limited access to clean water, and inefficient spatial organization.
This community engagement project aimed to assist the development of the PCMI Jambi Province Secretariat by improving its physical infrastructure and enhancing its functionality as a community learning and service center. The project employed a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach involving organizational leaders, university lecturers, students, volunteers, and community members throughout the planning and implementation processes.
The activities included needs assessment, participatory planning, electrical system reinstallation, installation of a clean water distribution system, improvement of lighting facilities, interior space reorganization, monitoring, and evaluation. The project significantly improved the safety, comfort, and functionality of the secretariat. Following the renovation, the facility became capable of supporting leadership training, educational workshops, youth development programs, academic discussions, community services, and collaborative activities involving universities and local communities.
The project demonstrates that infrastructure development, when combined with institutional capacity building, can substantially enhance the effectiveness of community organizations and strengthen partnerships between universities and society
