Minister Saifullah Yusuf Calls on Community Social Workers to Drive Tangible Change at 51st National Gathering

Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf (Gus Ipul) has called on the Community Social Workers Association (IPSM) to strengthen its role as part of the Social Welfare Resources (PSKS) in helping communities in need. “Work, be present with responsibility, sincerity, and real action. Move, do not wait but go directly to the community. Make an impact, social work must produce changes that are felt by the people,” Gus Ipul said in a written statement on Thursday (2/7/2026). The remarks were delivered virtually from the Ministry of Social Affairs office in Jakarta during the National Gathering commemorating the 51st Anniversary of Community Social Workers in 2026, themed “Working, Moving, Impacting,” held in Balige, Toba Regency. He explained that IPSM serves as a vessel for community social strength, with social workers acting as the eyes, ears, and hands of humanity in their respective environments. “IPSM assists vulnerable residents, the elderly, children, persons with disabilities, poor families, disaster victims, and neglected groups,” he added. Gus Ipul also invited social workers to take an active role in supporting the President’s mandate to the Ministry of Social Affairs, which includes realising accurate data, targeted social assistance distribution, and the implementation of Sekolah Rakyat (People’s Schools). He described the social welfare landscape as a magnet with two poles. The first pole consists of Social Welfare Service Recipients, including 12 categories of social attention such as vulnerable children, persons with disabilities, neglected elderly, disaster victims, and the destitute. The second pole is the Social Welfare Resources (PSKS) that provide services to the community. “PSKS is the state and society, and of course, you community social workers are part of this PSKS pole. Part of the potential, part of the strength that provides help,” he explained. He noted that just like two poles of a magnet, they are meaningless if they stand alone and never meet. “That is why the Puskesos (Social Welfare Centre) and the Integrated Service Referral System (SLRT) were built as a bridge to connect those in need with those who can help,” he elaborated. Gus Ipul added that as part of the social welfare resources, social workers must level up from being mere volunteers to becoming agents of change with four objectives. First, as initiators who bravely take the first step to create local innovations in their villages. Second, to ignite the spirit of Beneficiary Families (KPM) so they have a strong desire to escape poverty. Third, to mobilise mutual cooperation and consolidate local potential. Fourth, to keep the National Socio-Economic Data (DTSEN) up to date through social assistance checks and the Social Welfare Information System (SIKS-NG). To achieve this, Gus Ipul urged synergy with District Social Welfare Workers (TKSK), Family Hope Programme (PKH) facilitators, youth organisations, peace pioneers, and other volunteers to move together through Puskesos and SLRT. “There must be no barriers, no more sectoral egos,” he stressed. During the event, the Ministry of Social Affairs and its partners, including the Directorate General of Social Empowerment, the Directorate of Social Rehabilitation for Persons with Disabilities, the North Sumatra Provincial Social Office, Sentra Bahagia, Sentra Insyaf Medan, and PT Kalbe Farma, handed over assistance worth IDR 1,065,082,934 to beneficiary families. The aid consisted of basic foodstuffs and nutrition, disability assistive devices, economic empowerment, and health check-up services by PT Kalbe Farma.