Engaging Young People in Community-based Flood Risk Management in Pekalongan, Indonesia

Abstract

This technical report describes a capacity development project for flood risk management in Indonesia. The project aimed to equip tertiary students, referred to as 'learners,' with the basic knowledge and skills for flood risk management. We adopted a holistic approach that integrated online lectures, remote coaching and locally-based activities. We implemented a wide range of field activities to foster collaborative experiential learning. Our project took place in Pekalongan, a coastal city in Central Java Province. The significance of our efforts was underscored by the formal endorsement and support provided by the City Government of Pekalongan, which actively engaged 18 government officials in our programme. The capacity development project was structured into two parts. The first part encompassed six online lectures, delving into various aspects of flood risk management. In the second part, 18 enthusiastic Indonesian students took part in our field activities, which included water quality testing, flood exposure assessment, community vulnerability evaluation and community disaster planning. The majority of participants conveyed that the project either met or surpassed their expectations, significantly altering their understanding of climate change and climate vulnerability in Indonesia, while also redefining their roles in local climate change adaptation efforts.