Membangun Generasi Berkarakter Melalui Seminar Pencegahan Pergaulan Bebas dan Pernikahan Dini di Desa Sumengko Kecamatan Sukomoro Kabupaten Nganjuk

Abstract

Early marriage remains a serious social issue in Indonesia, particularly affecting adolescents and limiting the fulfillment of children’s rights, education, health, and psychosocial development. This community service program was conducted in Sumengko Village, Nganjuk Regency, East Java, where cases of early marriage and risky social behavior among adolescents still occur. The program aimed to strengthen adolescents’ awareness and character in preventing free association and early marriage through an educational and religious-based approach. The activity was carried out in collaboration with IPNU and IPPNU as local youth organizations that actively engage in adolescent development. The method applied was Community-Based Research (CBR) combined with service learning, emphasizing participatory involvement, needs assessment, and knowledge sharing. The main intervention was a seminar entitled “Building a Character-Based Generation through the Prevention of Free Association and Early Marriage in Sumengko Village”, integrated into routine religious activities. The results indicate a significant increase in adolescents’ understanding of the dangers of free association and early marriage, reflected by an improvement in participants’ comprehension levels from 30% before the seminar to 70% after its implementation. Qualitative findings also show positive responses, increased awareness, and stronger commitment among participants to maintain ethical behavior in accordance with Islamic values and family law principles. This program demonstrates that integrating educational seminars with religious and community-based youth activities is an effective strategy for preventing early marriage and fostering character development among adolescents.