CREATIVE INNOVATIONS TO IMPROVE SKILLS AND EMPOWERING DISABLED COMMUNITIES
Abstract
Individuals with disabilities, particularly those with mental limitations, face persistent barriers to employment and economic independence. Community-based training has emerged as a strategic approach to address these challenges. This program aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an innovative, continuous community-based training program in improving skills, knowledge, psychosocial outcomes, and economic independence among individuals with disabilities. A community-based participatory approach was applied involving 30 participants from parents and children with disabilities from the ABeKa Mom’s Craft, Disabled Community in Malang, East Java, Indonesia. Participants received practical training in batik ciprat, shibori techniques, tote bag production, production of natural liquid soap and solid soap, basic entrepreneurship and marketing techniques. A three-month mentoring phase was conducted to ensure skill retention and production continuity. Program outcomes were assessed using both qualitative measures and quantitative analysis through a pre-test and post-test design. Differences in knowledge scores were analysed using a paired t-test. Participants demonstrated substantial improvement in technical and entrepreneurial skills, evidenced by the production of approximately 500 marketable tote bags. Psychosocial outcomes included increased self-confidence, motivation, and social participation by children with disabilities and their parents. Early economic impacts were observed through the establishment of a small-scale production group, participation in exhibitions, and collaboration with local creative industry stakeholders. The mean knowledge score increased significantly from 52.5 ± 18.9 (pre-test) to 97.5 ± 6.9 (post-test) (p < 0.001), with a very large effect size (Cohen’s d = 2.57).
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