Last September, the DNetwork team visited Surabaya for four days to attend a series of events. On Monday 9^th September 2019, DNetwork held its first Surabaya Jobseekers Gathering, in collaboration with Surabaya State University’s Disability Study and Service Centre. The event was a great success, with more than 50 jobseekers attending. During the Jobseekers Gathering, which focused on “Professionalism in the Workplace”,  two speakers from Alfamidi and Jawa Pos shared their views and experience.
On the second and third day, the DNetwork team participated in a Job Fair, which was organized by the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration East Java Province. Jobseekers with a disability came from across East Java to visit DNetwork’s booth to get information related to job vacancies for people with disabilities. DNetwork also managed to spread the word about workplace inclusivity to many of the companies who participated in the Job Fair.
On the last day, the DNetwork team set up a few meetings with potential collaborators; from government officials and business associations to education institutes. DNetwork also paid a visit to Reika, one of DNetwork’s Surabaya users who now works as a cashier at Alfamidi. What a fruitful visit this was!

DNetwork has successfully held its fourth Jobseekers Gathering event in Bali and the first one in Jakarta. Jobseekers Gathering is one of DNetwork's regular events that aims to gather jobseekers with disabilities and empower them with new skills and/or knowledge that would help them to kick-start their professional careers.
 
The event in Bali was held on Thursday, August 8^th 2019 at the Annika Linden Centre. During this event, three speakers from Alfamart, Movenpick Hotel, and Berlin Gastro Kitchen shared their views on professionalism and their experience working with employees with disabilities. Meanwhile, the event in Jakarta was held on Tuesday, September 3^rd 2019 at a craft workshop run by Precious One. Precious One, which provides a marketplace for products created by people with disabilities, partnered with DNetwork to run this event. Unlike the event in Bali, this one focused on making the participants aware that 'working' doesn't always mean being employed in an office, but can also mean becoming an entrepreneur from home. In addition to providing some insight into entrepreneurship, the participants also received a free workshop on how to make a customized pouch.

This year, DNetwork has started to reach out not only to local companies and job seekers with disabilities but also to final-year students at special needs schools. The idea behind this is to encourage the students to try land a job or enrol in a training program directly after they graduate. It also makes them aware that DNetwork is ready to assist them with this process. It is truly wonderful to see the manifestation of this idea. Recently, six special needs school graduates were accepted as daily workers at Berlin Gastro Kitchen Bali, as well as in training programs at Courtyard Resort Seminyak and The Pavilion Hotel Sanur. The DNetwork team joined them on their first day of work and facilitated an orientation session which included an explanation on how to work with people with disabilities. Hopefully, this program can continue and will encourage more special needs schools and companies to get on board.

DNetwork’s third User Gathering Session was a rather unique one. In partnership with BEDO, Rumah Sanur, and Sanggar Menggambar Colony, DNetwork created a collaboration between people with a physical disability, deaf and blind people through painting. During this activity, participants with a physical disability described a view to the blind people who then painted the picture that was described to them. After that, the deaf people described the painting in words to be used in writing. The paintings created during the workshop will be auctioned off and the money will go towards the artists.

Held at Rumah Sanur, the event was attended by 24 persons with disabilities and some companies and partners. All participants were enthusiastic to participate in the workshop and they poured all their imagination onto the canvas. Through their teamwork, they have created a work of art and also presented their value and entrepreneurial skills.