Globalization has enabled communities to connect not only within the country but also internationally. With Indonesia’s rich cultural diversity serving as a major attraction for global tourism, it is no longer surprising that language proficiency—particularly in English—has become increasingly essential.

To improve the English communication skills of youth, the English Literature Study Program at Universitas Dian Nusantara (UNDIRA) held an interactive workshop titled “English Pronunciation Training Using Mobile Applications for the Democare Youth Community in North Meruya” on July 27, 2025. The participants were teenage members of the Democare community in Jakarta, North Meruya—an organization focusing on health and blood donation initiatives.

This program is also part of the realization of the 2025 DIKTI Grant for Community Service (PkM), under the broader framework of the Tri Dharma of Higher Education and the DIKTISAINTEK BERDAMPAK initiative, where universities not only serve as academic hubs but also drive meaningful social change.

The activity itself was initiated in response to a key issue identified: the participants' low self-confidence in speaking English. To address this, active involvement came from lecturers of the English Literature Study Program at Universitas Dian Nusantara—Mr. Wahyu Budi, S.S., M.Sas., Mr. Todo Sibuea, S.Pd., M.Hum., and Ms. Irma Rahmawati, S.S., M.Sas.

Beyond the lecturers, students of the English Literature Program also played an active role in the empowerment efforts. Among them were Ratu Amanah Amaranth Azalea, Hendri Petrus Hizkia, Siti Nursaidah, Jeniver Nur Li Dara, and Gabriella Angelica, who significantly contributed to enhancing the delivery of teaching materials through interactive discussions. They assisted in guiding participants and demonstrating the practical use of the ELSA Speak application. Moreover, the ELSA Speak app, equipped with AI features, allowed the learning process to become faster and more effective.

As a result, 82% of the participants were recorded to have understood and applied the materials provided. The training went beyond simple vocabulary introduction and covered various topics such as proper sentence articulation, word stress, and intonation—essential components in mastering English pronunciation.

Irma Rahmawati, the lead coordinator of the event, stated, "The ELSA Speak application we used can measure participants’ initial ability in pronouncing English words, phrases, and sentences correctly. It assesses aspects such as articulation (phoneme and syllable pronunciation), word stress, intonation, and fluency."

During the event, the Head of the English Literature Study Program, Mr. Todo Sibuea, expressed his sincere gratitude to the local community for their support: "We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the local parties for their assistance—from providing the venue and helping to disseminate information about the program, to the active involvement of all participants. Your presence and participation were vital to the success of this initiative."

Adib Bukhori, Chairperson of the Democare Organization, also expressed his appreciation for the efforts made by UNDIRA’s English Literature Program in preparing the younger generation to communicate across borders: "English is our means of communication with foreigners, and this is a vital skill that today’s youth must possess to open their window to the world," he said.