EMPOWERING CHILDREN FOR PARTICIPATORY DISASTER MITIGATION: A DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION APPROACH IN KUBU RAYA, WEST KALIMANTAN

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Published Dec 31, 2025
https://doi.org/10.56353/aspiration.v6i2.126
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Vol. 6 No. 2 (2025): November Edition of ASPIRATION Journal

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Joshua Fernando
Universitas Tanjungpura, Indonesia
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8669-5004
Andi Supiyandi
Universitas Tanjungpura, Indonesia
Budi Utomo
Universitas Tanjungpura, Indonesia
Hildawati Hildawati
Universitas Tanjungpura, Indonesia
Aditya Kumar Shukla
Amity University, India

Abstract

Kubu Raya Regency in West Kalimantan is a region with a high level of disaster risk. Based on the 2022 Indonesian Disaster Risk Index (IRBI), Kubu Raya is categorized as high risk due to its geographic conditions, which are dominated by lowlands, swamps, and large rivers. Despite various mitigation programs, children's involvement in these processes remains minimal, even though they have the potential to be agents of change in their communities. This study aims to identify forms of participatory communication for children in disaster mitigation. This approach is based on the view that development communication not only conveys information but also empowers communities through active participation, including children's communities. The research used a qualitative Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, grounded in the Risk Communication Theory of Covello & Sandman. The study involved children from the Ambawang Kubu Raya Forum Anak community. They were involved in flood risk mapping activities, evacuation simulations, and the production of community-based disaster campaign media. This study concluded that participatory communication is effective in helping children identify flood hazards based on their experiences and observations. Through the Child-Friendly Participatory Geographic Information Systems approach, children not only visually mapped risks but also strengthened their spatial awareness and engagement in building community resilience. Furthermore, they articulated an ideal, healthy, safe, inclusive environment and expressed their desire to participate in mitigation actions actively. These findings demonstrate that a development communication approach that involves children directly strengthen communities' adaptive capacity in disaster-prone areas.

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Author Biography

Joshua Fernando, Universitas Tanjungpura, Indonesia

Dr. Joshua Fernando, S.I.Kom., M.I.Kom., born in Jakarta on March 7, 1996, is an academic and researcher specializing in development communication and digital media communication. He earned his Bachelor's (2017) and Master's (2019) degrees in Communication Studies from Universitas Bunda Mulia, and completed his Doctoral (2024) degree at IPB University in the Graduate Program of Agricultural and Rural Development Communication. Currently, Joshua serves as a lecturer in the Communication Studies Program at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Tanjungpura. In addition to his academic role, he is actively involved in various research projects and has published his work across several academic platforms, including SINTA (ID: 6908180), Scopus (ID: 57218271288), ORCiD (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8669-5004), Web of Science (WoS ID: ABE-5735-2020), and Google Scholar (http://scholar.google.co.id/citations?user=KDfH6yUAAAAJ&hl=id). Since 2011, he has also been engaged in community service, particularly in issues related to child protection, gender equality, and active participation in various national and international initiatives on sustainable development.

How to Cite
Fernando, J., Supiyandi, A., Utomo, B., Hildawati, H., & Shukla, A. K. . (2025). EMPOWERING CHILDREN FOR PARTICIPATORY DISASTER MITIGATION: A DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION APPROACH IN KUBU RAYA, WEST KALIMANTAN. ASPIRATION Journal, 6(2), 163–195. https://doi.org/10.56353/aspiration.v6i2.126

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