The diverse literacy conditions in society, still largely dominated by low literacy levels, make literacy issues a significant social challenge to address. Solving social problems related to literacy requires collaboration involving the government, private sector, and the community. One effort to address this challenge is through social innovation initiated by the community.

Recognizing this urgency, the Community Service Team from the Faculty of Administrative Sciences, Universitas Indonesia (FIA UI), led by Dr. Retno Kusumastuti, M.Si., organized a program aimed at improving social innovation literacy in Bekasi Regency, particularly in Kampung Beting RT. 02/RW. 02, Pantai Bahagia Village, Muara Gembong District. The program focused on training in both skill-based literacy and financial literacy.

“This activity aims to raise public awareness as agents of social innovation. Muara Gembong District has significant resource potential that can drive efforts to address social problems,” said Dr. Retno Kusumastuti, M.Si. She further expressed hope that the initiative would encourage the community to foster creativity, especially within the local creative industries.

Bekasi Regency is home to many Taman Baca Masyarakat (Community Reading Gardens or TBM), which serve as sources of public literacy alongside the Kolecer program initiated by the provincial government. However, while the presence of these TBMs is beneficial, it also poses challenges for local partners in managing them effectively. Many TBMs lack standardized management practices, ranging from the availability of reading materials to organizing activities that promote literacy and community empowerment.

“This situation motivated our team to develop a sustainable governance concept for social innovation activities, enabling partners to monitor and evaluate the quality and quantity of TBMs across Bekasi Regency,” Dr. Retno explained.

The FIA UI Community Service Team provided training on the importance of social innovation literacy for members of the Bekasi Regency TBM Forum. Participants were introduced to key concepts in social innovation literacy to assess their understanding of the relationship between literacy and social innovation. This initial stage is crucial for helping participants grasp the urgency of social innovation activities. After the training, an evaluation was conducted to compare the participants’ knowledge before and after receiving the first phase of solutions.

Additionally, the team emphasized the importance of social innovation literacy, particularly in collaborative governance. This approach aims to map the potential resources of local partners and define the roles of various stakeholders involved in social innovation activities. Such efforts are designed to support the partners’ goals of reducing social inequality.

The community service initiative was carried out in collaboration with Ira Pelitawati and Euis Teti Rostiati, both of whom are actively engaged in community empowerment and social innovation. “This collaboration is an honor for the Universitas Indonesia team, as it allows us to work together to empower the community in Muara Gembong District,” said Dr. Retno.

All the training sessions aim to develop the potential of Bekasi Regency, particularly Muara Gembong District. “The vast potential of natural resources must be accompanied by the human capacity to act as owners, workers, and managers of production. Therefore, human capabilities should be continuously enhanced and refined to foster the creation of new, innovative products,” stated Ira Pelitawati.

As a concluding activity, the team provided financial literacy training to participants, focusing on simple financial record-keeping practices. This session complemented the knowledge shared throughout the program, with the hope that community groups in Muara Gembong District will improve their financial literacy.

“True wealth is what we use and share for the benefit of others,” Dr. Retno remarked in closing the session.

For reference, the event took place on December 15, 2023, and the Community Service Team included Dr. Retno Kusumastuti, M.Si. (Team Leader), Prima Nurita Rusmaningsih, S.A.P., M.A., Hasna Mardhiana, S.I.A., MBA., Evie Oktafia, S.I.A., and Yunita Soraya Oktariani.