Civic Education and Political Party Programs: An Effort to Build Student Increasing Political Voluntarism

Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha, Singaraja, Indonesia

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Abstract

This research aims to describe the effectiveness of Civic Education learning and student involvement in political party programs to build character and increase political volunteer awareness among students. The problem raised in this study is the low political participation and weak character building of the younger generation in the community, despite having received formal civic education at school. This study used a descriptive qualitative approach with a case study research design approach with the subjects as many as 18 students of SMA Negeri 1 Pekutatan who were randomly selected proportionally from classes X, XI, and XII. The research object includes the Civics learning process and student involvement in political party programs. Data collection techniques were conducted through structured interviews based on one main indicators for each variable. Data were analysed descriptively to describe the tendency and contribution of each aspect to character building and political awareness. The results show that Civics learning plays an important role in improving students' understanding of national values, rights and obligations as citizens, as well as the spirit of democracy and nationalism. Meanwhile, student involvement in political party programs, if managed in an educative and non-partisan manner, provides direct experience relevant to the political world and encourages students' active participation in democratic life. This research concludes that the integration between Civics learning and political engagement can make a real contribution in shaping the character and political awareness of the younger generation.