Dr. Wenty Marina Minza, a lecturer at the Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Psychology UGM), together with a team from the Center for Indigenous and Cultural Psychology (CICP), has successfully secured a Rp3.2 billion research grant from the international U’Good program.
This initiative is funded by three global institutions: the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa, Fondation Botnar of Switzerland, and the Human Science Research Council (HSRC) of South Africa.
U’Good primarily supports research that focuses on youth and relational wellbeing.
The project proposed by the CICP team is titled “Vulnerable Youth: Navigating Meaningful Livelihood in Indonesia.”
It aims to explore how youth from vulnerable groups in Indonesia define and pursue a meaningful livelihood, not only in terms of personal fulfillment but also in relation to social networks and environmental contexts.
The term “vulnerable groups” in this research includes youth living in disaster-prone areas, those affected by religious conflict, individuals living with HIV/AIDS, those with mental health issues or disabilities, and those experiencing chronic unemployment.
“These young people heavily rely on social networks, especially because their access to education and employment is significantly limited,” said Dr. Minza on Tuesday, Jun. 24, 2025.
She explained that the relational wellbeing approach emphasizes the importance of social networks, community support, and institutions as fundamental pillars for achieving wellbeing.
This approach is particularly crucial as Indonesia approaches its demographic bonus peak in 2030, which could become a significant opportunity if these vulnerabilities are addressed appropriately.
The project will be carried out in five regions, each representing different contexts of vulnerability: Yogyakarta Special Region will focus on mental health and HIV/AIDS; West Sumatra on disabilities; East Nusa Tenggara on unemployment; North Maluku on natural disasters; and West Kalimantan on ethnic and religious conflict.
“The research is designed to span three years, beginning with preparations in July 2025, followed by a scoping review through the end of the year, instrument development in early 2026, and mixed-method field research until December 2026,” she explained.
The research team consists of academics from multiple institutions, including Dr. Praditya Putri Pertiwi, as Co-Principal Investigator; Dr. Roy Huijsman from Erasmus University Amsterdam; Dr. Ali Mashuri, from Universitas Brawijaya; and Dr. Amalinda Savirani, from the UGM Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol UGM).
In addition, non-academic partners such as Kampung Halaman Foundation and Yakkum Emergency Unit will play a vital role in engaging target communities in each region.
“Yakkum will help mobilize vulnerable youth to actively participate in the research process, while Professor Huijsman will provide a global perspective to help contextualize Indonesia within international academic discussions,” Dr. Minza added.
According to her, the research findings will be disseminated through international conference presentations, scholarly publications, online and offline photo exhibitions, data visualizations, and the development of inclusive policy briefs.
“This study also emphasizes the active involvement of youth, who will be engaged as co-authors and research partners at every stage,” she concluded.
Reporter: Psychology UGM/Relung Fajar Sukmawati
Author: Rafif Rusmana
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna