Empowering disabilities through public speaking: Building social independence with a co-creation approach

Ike Desi Florina (Universitas Pancasakti Tegal, Tegal, Indonesia)
Sri Adi Nurhayati (Universitas Pancasakti Tegal, Tegal, Indonesia)
Inas Sanny Muyassaroh (Universitas Pancasakti Tegal, Tegal, Indonesia)
Sesya Dias Mumpuni (Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia)

Community Empowerment
Vol 9 No 12 (2024)

Tegal Regency continues to grapple with discrimination and stigma against people with disabilities, leading to insufficient social support, low self-confidence, and communication barriers. This limited communication hinders their social independence. This activity aimed to enhance self-confidence, public speaking skills, and social independence among members of Difabel Mandiri Slawi (DMS). The program comprised three stages: (1) An initial Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with DMS in July 2024 to assess needs; (2) Motivational seminars and public speaking workshops (incorporating theory and practice); and (3) Co-creation activities, including public speaking practice at Alun-Alun Slawi. The program successfully increased participants' self-confidence by 47% and their public speaking skills by 50%, positively impacting their social independence as evidenced by improved social relationships.