Street-fighting children trained for improvement

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)