Skilled and Empowered Community or known as (MATA) is one of the flagship programs of the Foundation of Inspiration for Indonesia Development or known as Yayasan Inspirasi Indonesia Membangun in cooperation with Insight Investments Management Company (Insight IM). On Wednesday, 23rd October 2024, a social entrepreneurship training for barbers has held. Barbershops, which are now a basic need for men in everyday life, make work as a barber very promising and have great potential for success.

The barber training program provides teaching in the form of materials and practices for 5 days. In the barber training, an in-depth introduction to the world of barbering will be given. Participants have the opportunity to practice cutting hair directly accompanied by a trainer. Participants also done role play in barber services according to customer expectations and are also given the opportunity to ask questions and share with trainers and assistant trainers who are experienced in the world of barbering.

The training event was held at the Inspiration Indonesia Membangun Foundation Office located at Jalan Grand Wijaya Center Block F/62B, RT.6/RW.1, Pulo Village, Kebayoran Baru District, South Jakarta City, Special Capital Region of Jakarta, which was held from 09.30 WIB to 15.30 WIB. The total number of participants who attended the training was 10 people with backgrounds consisting of underprivileged communities and BAPAS inmates. The barber training trainers were Syaifulloh as the main trainer and Hermanto as the assistant trainer.

The first day of training began with a symbolic opening by Maria Dewi Yanti as the Secretary of YIIM and several sentences of encouragement for the participants so that participants could follow the training with enthusiasm and also focus on the material and practices provided by the trainer and assistant trainer. After being symbolically opened by YIIM, participants filled out a pre-test to measure their knowledge of the barber world. Then the trainer started the training with an introductory material on “stages in learning to cut hair”. In addition to the material, the trainer demonstrated the stages to the training participants so that participants could get an idea of ​​the stages of cutting hair. After the hair cutting demonstration practice was completed, the first day of training was closed with the trainer giving the participants the opportunity to ask questions related to the material and practice today that had been given by the trainer. Furthermore, the second day began with a review of the material to the participants to measure the participants’ memory and understanding of the first day’s material. The material for the second day was “getting to know the techniques in hair cutting”. The participants were divided into 5 groups and after that were given the responsibility to cut the hair of the model that had been provided by YIIM accompanied by the trainer and assistant trainer. The participants were active in practicing and also had high enthusiasm in participating in the training. On the third day, the Trainer again reviewed the material to the participants and continued with the material “Hair Cutting Techniques”. In this material, participants were again divided into 5 groups consisting of 2 participants to be responsible for cutting the hair of the model. The participants had difficulty with the material this time and were not used to using the hair cutting technique usually done by barbers. However, the participants seemed to never give up. Participants continued to try and ask the trainer about cutting hair properly. After yesterday’s material and practice on hair cutting techniques, on the fourth day participants were given material and practice in doing hair cutting. Participants had difficulty in determining the size of the clipper shoe in tidying up their hair. However, the understanding given by the trainer to the participants made the participants accustomed and understand the use of clipper shoes.

On the last day of training, training participants were given material related to the ethics of the barberman profession. In addition, participants were also given the opportunity to be responsible for serving models one by one while practicing according to the ethics of a barberman. After all participants had finished practicing, YIIM carried out a symbolic closing by Riccana Rosita as the treasurer of YIIM. She said, “Thank you to all the participants in this barber training, hopefully from this training you can continue to develop and your knowledge will not stop here. And also hopefully you can be like Mr. Syaifulloh who started from an alumni of YIIM and is now a barber training trainer”.

From the 5 days of training that have been carried out, most of the participants have very high enthusiasm and are also consistent. The participants’ willingness to learn and their high curiosity made them quickly master the material and practice in barbering.

Participants were also given the opportunity to convey messages and impressions of the training held by YIIM. One of them is Budi Saputra, “Thank you to YIIM for holding a barber training. I thought shaving was easy, but when I started learning it here, I felt that shaving takes time to get used to it so that it is easy. I hope I can work in the barber field until I open my own barber business”.

This program is also in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number 1 on ending poverty, number 8 on decent work and economic growth, and number 10 on reducing inequality. This program is a manifestation of YIIM and Insight IM’s commitment through the distribution of social funds that can have a positive socio-economic impact on the community.

YIIM is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people from various backgrounds, founded by social and humanitarian activists. To realize this goal, YIIM is open and welcoming to all forms of cooperation from all groups so that it can be distributed to beneficiaries in need.

Greetings of inspiration!