Street-fighting children trained for improvement

PURWAKARTA, West Java (JP): A group of 26 students from three high schools in Jakarta frequently involved in street brawls have joined a free eight-day outdoor physical and mental training course here beginning Monday.

Aimed at improving the participants' skills in communication and teamwork, the course took place at the headquarters of the organizers, Outward Bound Indonesia, in the mountainous district of Jatiluhur here.

The students, including two girls, were of state-run STM I technical high school, SMP 35 Catholic junior high school and SMP 53 Catholic junior high school.

The participants were grouped in three teams, each consisting of a leader and members from different schools.

"We, for example, have them going to far-off points with the help of a compass.

If the team's leader failed to lead his team, the members of the team would question his or her responsibility," an executive of the organizers, Emma Alvita Bukti, told visiting journalists here on Wednesday.

Trained by 10 Outward Bound instructors and three volunteers grouped in Team of Humanity, which was set up by students of several universities, the participating students are strictly required to work together with their teammates in each of the activities.

The events included rock climbing, canoeing, building rafts and rowing them in the 8,000-hectare Jatiluhur reservoir.

"The idea is to get them focused on what they are doing and on the consequences," Emma said.

Spending an extra one hour in bed, for instance, would make them miss a game, meaning that he or she would have to do the activity on his or her own the following day.

Team of Humanity's volunteer Eric from Atmajaya University said the introductory element designed for the students to break the ice and learn to trust one another before going for more strenuous activities was taking part in the so-called "name game".

"We, for example, asked them to name an animal with the first letter of their name. That way, they laughed," Eric said.

He recalled that when the students first met on Monday, they had killer looks on their faces.

"They even sat separately in the bus on the way from Jakarta to Jatiluhur. There was absolutely no talk among them," Eric said.

The participating students, he said, came from middle-class and poor families.

"I know how they think... I was one of them. They fight because they feel they have nothing to lose," Eric said.

"They follow friends who escape classes, calling it cool," he said.

The Outward Bound program, founded by Englishman Dr. Kurt Hahn in 1941, currently has 34 branches worldwide.

Here in Indonesia, it was opened eight years ago and chaired by entrepreneur Djoko Kusumowidagdo.

Former minister of environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja is named as its only patron.

According to Djoko, it was the first time for Outward Bound Indonesia to handle this type of participants.

He said some of the games literally forced the students to trust and coordinate.

"The 'Trust Fall' match, for example, requires a student to walk up two steps, and then throw himself backwards to a team of 12 people behind him." Djoko said.

Instructor Andoko Riyadi revealed how the teenage participants spend over an hour to build their first raft, before taking it to the Jatiluhur reservoir.

As they were not professionals in doing such a work, "it would break immediately and they have to bring it back to the land and do it again. And this could go on forever," Andoko said.

The other activities included the 'High Rope' game, which requires the students to move from one tree to another by hanging on a rope fastened onto branches at the height of eight meters from the ground.

Participant Energo from STM I said the programs so far had slightly boosted his self-confidence and started to change his mind about street brawls. (ylt)