In Indonesia, where people are constantly connected online, individual voices often get drowned out. Throughout the last decade, we have witnessed how communities have been impacted differently by climate change, democratic regression and the rise of right-wing populism, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the digital revolution. Disparities in access and resources have since also become wider, leaving these communities more vulnerable than ever.
So, how can people actually utilise digital spaces to create impact? This is where Digital Activism for All comes in. This unique project is helping everyday internet users become active citizens who know how to drive real change online.
UK alumnae, Poppy S. Winanti and Diah Kusumaningrum, aim to equip communities with skills to design and conduct digital activism, with the belief that such skills would allow communities to pursue more equitable societies. “We saw that people are becoming more and more aware of situations around us, such as current political issues, but we didn’t see any significant change,” said Poppy.
Supported by the British Council’s UK Social Action Grant, Poppy and Diah built a course that teaches people how to engage online with purpose. Embedded in FOCUS, the official digital learning platform of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FISIPOL UGM), they created a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) called Netizen Juga Citizen: Menyemarakkan Aktivisme Digital (Netizens Are Also Citizens: Igniting Digital Activism).
The project aims to facilitate enthusiastic netizens in becoming empowered citizens, to skilfully perform their civic duty using a wide repertoire of digital activism. “We try to develop the module as simple as possible using daily examples, hoping that the design and also the level of language and also the level of the complexity of the modules can be accessed by the general public,” Poppy continued.
The project's impact has been both immediate and remarkable. When they opened the trial phase for the MOOC, they hoped for some 20 participants. Instead, they were met with an overwhelming wave of interest, drawing 171 applicants, which shows how hungry the public was for accessible training in digital activism. “It became challenging to inform them that we cannot accommodate many people for the trial stage,” explained Poppy.
By early November 2024, a staggering 173 out of 193 users had successfully completed the entire MOOC, showcasing incredible engagement. University students participating in the trial expressed gratitude for the new insights gained. The course's design was also highly praised, with participants noting its accessibility and easily comprehensible material. “I think what is good about this programme is that it can be shared easily by a wider audience,” Poppy said.
But this wasn’t just a student success story. People from all kinds of backgrounds – youth leaders, journalists, civil society workers – joined in and left more prepared to face Indonesia’s complex social and political issues. Even the hybrid launch event attracted 82 attendees, proving a serious momentum behind the movement. “We are dealing with a generation that is happy to learn by themselves. They are looking for opportunities to get more information. So, I think the information and also modules or knowledge that we have made accessible widely should come with responsibility,” she said. And that is what this project wants Indonesians to understand.
Digital Activism for All is set to continue its impact. “We have set a commitment to monitor the progress of how many people are accessing or using the platform for their own sort of proposals. Then, we can see if the trend of people who are accessing this platform is increasing,” Poppy continued.
Poppy and Diah are keen to collaborate further with partners like UGM's FISIPOL and are open to working with other UK alumni to expand the MOOC's reach and refine its content, fostering an ever-stronger social justice movement across Indonesia. This project truly embodies how strategic support can really empower Indonesia citizens to become better netizens.