The Effectiveness of the Short-Term Youth Empowerment Program: A Critique of the Duration and Impact of PMMD

This paper examines the effectiveness of the Independent Youth Building Village (PMMD) Program initiated by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Indonesia, with a particular focus on the challenges arising from the short duration of its implementation. Although the PMMD aims to empower rural youth to actively participate in village development through leadership and entrepreneurship training, the limited duration of the program often becomes an obstacle to achieving sustainable impacts. Using a qualitative method, including in-depth interviews and online written questionnaires with PMMD participants in the DIY Province (2017–2018), this study analyzes the short-term benefits and critiques the ability of short-term interventions to foster sustainable youth leadership. The findings indicate that, while there was an increase in skills and self-confidence in the short term, the limited duration of the program hindered the sustainability of these outcomes. Recommendations include extending the program duration and providing ongoing support after the program officially concludes.