Empowerment of Village Communities through Training on Accessory Making and Costume Arrangement

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FORMOSA NEWS - Yogyakarta - UNY Researchers Boost Village Economy by 96 Percent through Cultural Accessory and Costume Training. A team of academic researchers from Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) has successfully launched a community empowerment program that significantly improves the technical skills of rural citizens. Led by Eni Juniastuti alongside co-researchers Asi Tritanti, Septi Nawanksari, and Mausa Agrevinna, the 2026 initiative focused on training village communities in cultural accessory making and traditional costume arrangement. Published in the Formosa Journal of Applied Sciences, this UNY research matters because it establishes a practical, replicable model for turning local cultural assets into sustainable creative economies, effectively bridging the gap between heritage preservation and rural financial independence.

Activating Rural Creative Economies Through Culture
Many rural communities across Indonesia possess a wealth of local cultural knowledge that remains economically underutilized. While traditional arts and performances thrive, village communities frequently encounter structural barriers to financial growth, such as a lack of refined technical skills, limited market access, and a lack of organized business institutions. To address these challenges, the research team from Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta introduced a structured intervention called the "Mbangun Deso" (Building the Village) program. The researchers focused specifically on accessory making and costume arrangement because these crafts carry high economic value within the commercial tourism and performing arts sectors, yet remain highly accessible for rural citizens to learn.

A Participatory Approach to Skill Development
The Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta researchers deployed a participatory action methodology to ensure the community felt direct ownership of the project. The initiative targeted members of a local cultural arts society, bringing together individuals from diverse demographic backgrounds to foster collaborative learning. According to the data, the participant group comprised:

• Housewives: 40% (8 participants).
  
• Male Workers (Formal/Informal): 25% (5 participants).
  
• Students (High School): 20% (4 participants).
  
• University Students: 15% (3 participants).
  

The methodology followed five systematic phases designed by the UNY team. First, the researchers conducted field surveys and interviews with community leaders to analyze local needs. Second, they initiated hands-on training for basic accessory fabrication, including headpieces and wrist ornaments. Third, they trained participants in costume arrangement, color coordination, and thematic stage simulation. Fourth, the team provided intensive individual and group mentoring. Finally, they conducted comprehensive evaluations using pre-tests, post-tests, direct observations, portfolios, and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) to measure capacity growth.

Remarkable Skill Gains and New Micro-Enterprises
The evaluation metrics revealed a massive leap in community capability, showing an average technical skill improvement of 96.7% across all indicators. The detailed progress recorded by the Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta researchers highlights substantial growth across all measured fields:

Technical Skill Indicator	Initial Score (Pre-test)	Final Score (Post-test)	Net Percentage Increase
Product Finishing Ability	35.2	74.8	112.5%
Material Selection & Combination	38.5	76.4	98.4%
Color & Motif Coordination	40.8	79.5	94.9%
Basic Accessory Fabrication	42.3	81.7	93.1%
Costume Arrangement Technique	45.1	83.2	84.5%

The most significant improvement occurred in product finishing techniques, which surged by 112.5%. Prior to the intervention, neatness and product packaging were the participants' weakest attributes; however, the training completely reversed this trend. "Hands-on, practice-based training models are highly effective for community empowerment because direct engagement accelerates the transfer of knowledge," noted lead researcher Eni Juniastuti from Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta in the study. "By mastering the finishing process, the community can now produce items that meet commercial market standards." Moving beyond education, the program achieved an immediate economic milestone: the formation of a village-based creative business group consisting of 12 active participants. This micro-enterprise has already secured its first commercial orders to provide custom accessories for cultural events at the sub-district level, validating the financial sustainability of the UNY initiative.

Revitalizing Culture and Achieving Public Satisfaction
Beyond generating household income, the project successfully revived local heritage. Participants began integrating traditional motifs that had nearly vanished from modern use into their contemporary accessory and costume designs. This blend of heritage and modern craft provides the village with a unique competitive edge in the regional marketplace. The program also earned praise from the community. Participant surveys indicated that 82% felt highly satisfied with the relevance of the program, and 73% gave top marks to the facilitation and teaching quality provided by the Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta team.

Author Profile
Eni Juniastuti, S.Pd., M.Pd. is an academic researcher and lecturer at Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY). She specializes in Fashion Design Education, costume styling, and textiles, focusing her research on community empowerment, rural development, and the modernization of local cultural crafts.

Source

Eni Juniastuti bersama tim peneliti Asi Tritanti, Septi Nawanksari, dan Mausa Agrevinna. Empowerment of Village Communities through Training on Accessory Making and Costume Arrangement. Formosa Journal of Applied Sciences (FJAS), Vol. 5, No. 6, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/fjas.v5i6.66
URL: https://journalfjas.my.id/index.php/fjas