North Jakarta Government Trains RPTRA Managers in Storytelling to Build Children's Imagination

The North Jakarta City Government has trained 120 managers of Child-Friendly Integrated Public Spaces (RPTRA) in the area in storytelling, aiming to enhance children’s imagination, spark their interest in reading, and improve literacy. “Storytelling is one of the effective ways to build human resource quality from an early age through a fun approach,” said North Jakarta Mayor Hendra Hidayat in Jakarta on Wednesday. According to him, this storytelling training is a very important and relevant activity in the collective effort to build human quality from an early age. Hendra said storytelling is not merely entertainment, but an effective educational medium for instilling moral values, building empathy, and fostering imagination in children. “Storytelling activities also strengthen children’s character so they grow into intelligent, virtuous, and competitive individuals,” he said. He noted that amidst the rapid development of digital technology, the presence of parents and RPTRA managers in providing warm, educational, and value-laden interaction spaces is becoming increasingly important. “Through stories, children are invited to imagine, think creatively, while strengthening emotional closeness with the adults around them,” he said. The storytelling skills training, themed “Building Children’s Imagination Through Stories”, was attended by 120 RPTRA managers at Ruang Bahari, North Jakarta Mayor’s Office. This activity is a CSR collaboration between Solidaritas Erlangga and the North Jakarta PPAPP Sub-department and the North Jakarta PKK Driving Team. Meanwhile, Solidaritas Erlangga CSR representative Aulia said this training is part of the company’s commitment to increasing children’s reading interest in Indonesia. According to her, North Jakarta is the second area to host the training after it was previously successfully held in East Jakarta. This training session featured storyteller, writer, and trainer Tri Sujarwo, who equipped participants with engaging, communicative, and interactive storytelling techniques. “We hope these skills can be applied in RPTRA as a means to increase reading interest, develop creativity, and shape children’s character through fun activities,” said Aulia.