Young people are the generation who are able to open up all new opportunities,
while at the same time promoting a city
Yogyakarta, November 17th 2015 – Thousands of young people aged 12-24 years in Yogyakarta participated in Microsoft YouthSpark 2015, a technology training and capacity building event for young people, especially those who come from the marginalized communities. Yogyakarta was chosen because it has so many creative young people who have great potential for accelerated development in Yogyakarta as a smart city.
Yogyakarta has been known for its diversity in art and cultural heritage. Numbers of young communities who actively contribute to the development of art and culture is also increasing. After being known as a city of students, the Badan Ekonomi Kreatif (Creative Economy Agency) is now preparing — Yogyakarta city to become a creative city, Yogyakarta shows the large potential that can still be developed. Behind much potential, Yogyakarta has some urban obstacles that need- to be resolved with the government, the private sector and the public.
Based on the data from the Badan Pusat Central Bureau of Statistics in September 2013, Yogyakarta is still a city with the highest poverty levels in Java (15.03%). Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Statistics of DI Yogyakarta revealed the open—unemployment rate in Yogyakarta in February 2015 reached 4.07%. Realizing the potential of this problem, Microsoft with the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) in Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) and Yayasan Cinta Anak Bangsa (YCAB) held YouthSpark in Yogyakarta.
YouthSpark invited the youth to develop — game applications related to education, so it can improve the mind-set of the player. In — November 2015 until May 2016, Microsoft, FISIPOL UGM, and YCAB will work together to help students realize their idea of the game from concept to becoming a reality by using Kodu Game Lab, a programming language that is very easy to learn and use by the novice application developers. The three best applications will receive further training at the Microsoft Innovation Centre UGM.
Ruben Hattari, Corporate Affairs Director, Microsoft Indonesia said, “The ultimate goal of YouthSpark is not to see how complicated the game application is, that is successfully developed, but the thought process behind them. We hope that young people are able to provide creative and strategic ideas that can be realized through the process of coding.”
“Coding is not as difficult as many people think. Young children who do not have a background in technology can do it. This ability will become a plus value that can change their future”, Ruben said. Yogyakarta becomes the third city for YouthSpark implementation, after — successfully — reaching 5,000 youth in Jakarta and Jambi in 2013 and 2014. The result always shows the increase of ideas that are more varied. One of the participants who didn’t know about technology at first, now has successfully developed a business selling bags and pouches through Office 365.”
Veronica Colondam, CEO / Founder, Yayasan Cinta Anak Bangsa Foundation, said, “YouthSpark YCAB has participated since the beginning of the program was held. The high enthusiasm of young people in each city to learning new things encourages us to continue to be involved in implementing the YouthSpark. We believe that young people are the generation which able to open up all new opportunities and at the same time promoting a city.”
This year, the implementation of YouthSpark is supported by the Ministry of Education and Culture and also the University of Gadjah Mada, one of the favored universities in Indonesia. The support is given as the result of — YouthSpark’s implementation that is able to improve the intellect— of young people, allowing them to contribute to the accelerated —development of Yogyakarta as a smart city – a developed and — independent city with the help of technology.
“The Implementation of YouthSpark program not only –increases the capacity of young people in the field of technology, but also encourages them —- to think creatively and innovatively. This ——- ability can contribute to a city in order to become a smart city. We hope that young people in here can contribute to the development of Yogyakarta city as a smart city, “said Erwan Agus Purwanto, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the world leader in software, devices and services, and technology solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
About YCAB Foundation
YCAB Foundation (Yayasan Cinta Anak Bangsa) is a non-profit organization that focuses on youth development in the field of healthy lifestyles promotion, education, and economic empowerment. Our focus is to create independence for young children. Since 1999, YCAB have given impact for more than 2.9 million young people. In 2013, YCAB got ranking #74 of TOP 100 NGOs in the world by the Global Journal, Geneva. And in 2015 up to rank # 63 on the Top 500 NGO.
About the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Gadjah Mada
Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Gadjah Mada University known as the Academy of Political Science before. Established to educate prospective government bureaucrats in the fields of domestic, lighting, and abroad at the beginning of the independence of Indonesia. In the early of the founding of UGM, social and political science studies are in the faculty of science of law and economics. Then, the Faculty of Social and Political formed separately since 1955, which later changed its name to the Faculty of Social and
Political Sciences, abbreviated as FISIPOL.