EMPOWERED STUDENT FACILITATORS: CHANGE AGENTS FOR DIGITAL TRAINING, NIB, AND MSME COMMUNICATION

Abstract

The limited number of entrepreneurs in Indonesia has resulted in restricted employment opportunities and weak competitiveness of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), most of which operate at a micro-scale with constraints in capital, market access, business literacy, and digital technology adoption. This community service program aimed to foster an entrepreneurial ecosystem through a participatory, community-based approach involving university students as change agents and MSMEs in Bayu Raden Village, Gamping, Sleman, as partners. Students were trained using the Training of Trainer method, which covered effective communication skills, understanding of business legality through the Business Identification Number (NIB), and the application of the Business Model Canvas as a practical tool for business design. Subsequently, students provided collaborative and sustainable mentorship to MSMEs, building trust and developing locally relevant solutions. The results indicated a significant improvement in students' capacity as facilitators, while MSME partners gained strategic assistance to strengthen their business strategies, marketing, and managerial capabilities. The program also contributed to the university's tri-dharma through students' tangible community engagement. Outputs of this activity is social engineering construct include enhanced student capacity as change agents, strengthened MSME competitiveness, a scientific article published in a nationally accredited journal, and media coverage through social media