The Islamic Community Development Program (PMI), Faculty of Da'wah and Communication Sciences, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, held a Practicum I release event with the theme 'Building Partnerships and Student Learning Experiences of the Islamic Community Development Program at Community Empowerment Institutions.' The event took place at the Theater Room, 2nd Floor, Prof. H. Aqib Suminto, FDIKOM Building, UIN Jakarta, on Friday, March 15th, 2024.

The release event was hosted by the Master of Ceremony, Anggita Bunga Pratiwi, with a series of events including the recitation of holy verses from the Quran by Bagus Prasetyo, singing the Indonesian national anthem, "Indonesia Raya," and the Dakwah Hymn guided by Herlina Harahap. Following that, there was a speech by the Head of the PMI Program, WG. Pramita Ratnasari. This was followed by the presentation of practicum materials by Tantan Hermansah, moderated by Nurul Hidayati. The subsequent agenda included a Prayer Reading by Muhammad Ferry, concluding the event with a group photo session.

During the Practicum I release address, WG. Pramita Ratnasari delivered words of encouragement to the PMI Program students who would be conducting their Practicum I at various community empowerment institutions. She expressed her hope that the students would be willing to learn and prepare thoroughly for all aspects of this Practicum I. She also prayed for the smooth progress of Practicum I and for the PMI community to achieve the intended goals of this practicum. She concluded her address by emphasizing that students must uphold the reputation of the program at each community empowerment institution where this Practicum I takes place.

The event proceeded with a presentation of practicum materials by Tantan Hermansah. Prior to the presentation, Nurul Hidayati, as the moderator, gave an introduction regarding the topics that would be covered. This included discussions on what, why, where, when, who, and how the Practicum I would take place.

Tantan Hermansah addressed several key points regarding the implementation of the practicum in community empowerment institutions. Firstly, he discussed how PMI students would conduct their Practicum I in the future. In this regard, he emphasized that PMI students are not mere interns who merely follow along without significant contributions. PMI students are envisioned as individuals who operate silently, akin to intelligence agents. They do not need excessive praise but must bring about real change. Secondly, once PMI students are in the field, they should not be overly sensitive. It should be remembered that wherever we engage in empowerment and assist communities, we ourselves are the ones who learn the most from the community. Therefore, open your hearts and minds to absorb lessons from wherever and whenever possible. As much as possible, take note of anything encountered in the field and utilize it as a participatory learning method.

In the third point, Practicum I serves as a platform for building the social capital of PMI students, which is trust from others. As community developers, PMI students need the trust of the people they intend to develop. Without it, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to carry out community empowerment and development. Therefore, social capital must be built, developed, and maintained. Lastly, he emphasized the importance of consistency and patience for PMI students. As much as possible, the activity timeline outlined in the Practicum I proposal should be adhered to consistently and patiently.

After Tantan's presentation, the moderator provided time for students to ask questions regarding any unclear aspects of the Practicum I implementation. The first question came from Lalu Rinaldi, followed by Nahdiah Rohmah, and finally Zumrudah Ghina Muhamsyah. Regarding Lalu Rinaldi's question about the success indicators of Practicum I, Mr. Tantan Hermansah, M.Sc., mentioned several indicators. Firstly, he mentioned the extent to which participants are involved in the Practicum I program. Secondly, he highlighted the level of engagement of various stakeholders in the Practicum I program. Lastly, he discussed how the program impacts the development of program cadres to ensure the sustainability of the program in the future.

Nahdiah Rohmah and Zumrudah Ghina Muhamsyah raised questions regarding what actions to take if the institution violates the agreed-upon program from the outset. Tantan explained that students should adhere to the initial agreement. Students can provide explanations to the institution that the goal of Practicum I is to implement a beneficial and targeted program. If the institution still refuses to comply, then students have the right to transfer to another institution with a similar program without extending the practicum duration.

Following the Q&A session, the moderator handed the event back to the Master of Ceremony. The final agenda was the closing remarks by the Master of Ceremony and a group photo session.