InJourney Community Care Improves Disaster Response Understanding and Skills for High School Students in Bantul

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Yogyakarta earthquake on May 27, 2006, InJourney Destination Management (IDM) conducted InJourney Community Care earthquake disaster response training involving 200 students at SMA Negeri 1 Pundong and SMA Negeri 1 Jetis, Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta, on January 28–29, 2026.

This collaborative initiative was presented by IDM together with the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture and the Yogyakarta Special Region Education, Youth and Sports Agency (Disdikpora) through the Joint Secretariat of Disaster Safe Education Units (Sekber SPAB) in each school.

IDM Operation Group Head Leonardus Adityo Nugroho said that this training was conducted to improve students' understanding, awareness, and basic skills, especially in dealing with emergency disaster situations. 

"We are committed to strengthening and raising awareness among our colleagues, especially those in disaster-prone areas, to remain alert and prepared for disasters. This collaboration is the first step in strengthening cooperation to further enhance the benefits for the people of Yogyakarta," he explained on Thursday (January 29, 2026).

The coordinator of the DIY SPAB Joint Secretariat, Budi Santoso, said that during the two days of training, 200 students participated in a series of intensive materials covering the mitigation spectrum, including understanding the risks of potential earthquake disasters, rescue techniques, evacuation, and emergency response simulations. 

"Participants are also taught to respond to disasters calmly, seek shelter and simulate evacuation routes to assembly points (assembly point) without panic. The training location was also chosen because it was the epicenter and one of the worst-affected areas when a major earthquake struck Yogyakarta 20 years ago," he explained.

Budi Santoso added that the Yogyakarta Special Region's Special Economic Zone (SPAB) Joint Secretariat identified 14 potential disasters in Yogyakarta. Meanwhile, the disaster risk assessment in Bantul Regency identified 11 potential disasters, including earthquakes, tsunamis, extreme weather, floods, fires, landslides, drought, abrasion and extreme waves, disease outbreaks, and technological failures.

"The main SPAB indicator is the collection of information on threats, potential vulnerabilities, and rescue actions to reduce disaster risk. Support from various parties is needed to foster awareness and disaster management skills across all levels of society," he continued.

Tukiman, Head of the High School Division of the Yogyakarta Education, Youth and Sports Office, appreciated this activity as part of reintroducing the potential for disaster-prone areas in the Yogyakarta area.

"The potential for disasters in Yogyakarta is quite complex. We are grateful that we can learn together today, recognizing them so we can avoid panicking in the face of disaster. We also hope that you can be pioneers for your classmates and those in your village on proper disaster mitigation," he explained.

One of the training participants, Azkia Shofwa Al Maala (16 years old) said that she lost her grandparents during the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake.

"My father told me that my grandmother and grandfather died when their house collapsed. My uncle also suffered a broken bone in the incident. Even though I wasn't born yet, that story left an impression on me," explained the 10th-grade student at Jetis Senior High School 1, Bantul.

According to Maala, this training needs to be known by all residents, from children to adults, in order to minimize disaster victims.

"Before this simulation, I would have taken cover by running outside in a panic. I now know to protect my head and seek shelter before heading out to the assembly point. I hope this training becomes more widely known, so there are fewer casualties during a disaster," he explained.

Andre Notohamijoyo, Assistant Deputy for Disaster Risk Reduction at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, expressed his appreciation for IDM's efforts to build collective disaster memory among the Yogyakarta community from an early age. This collaborative effort in disaster risk reduction (DRR) aligns with the implementation of the Indonesian Disaster Risk Index (IRBI) and the Regional Capacity Index (IKD), the primary instruments for measuring national disaster risk reduction performance.

"IRBI and IKD are strategic indicators in realizing national disaster resilience. Synergy is needed so that data, policies, and on-the-ground actions can strengthen the national disaster resilience system," he explained.

The InJourney Community Care earthquake response training program targets 1.000 participants from 10 schools in Gunungkidul, Kulon Progo, Sleman, Bantul, and Yogyakarta City. The program is expected to be completed before the 20th anniversary of the Yogyakarta earthquake in May 2026.

"Through this synergy between the business world, local government, and educational institutions, the 20th anniversary of the Yogyakarta earthquake will not only be a moment of reflection but also a moment of awakening to build a more resilient Yogyakarta that is ready to face future disaster risks," Leonardus concluded.