FESTIVAL GREEN THERAPY UNTUK ANAK BERKEBUTUHAN KHUSUS

Abstract

Abstrak: Kebutuhan alternatif terapi yang menyenangkan bagi anak berkebutuhan khusus mendorong pengembangan Pusat Green Therapy Indonesia Timur di Sekolah Alam Darul Istiqamah, Maros, Sulsel. Sebagai upaya publikasi layanan terapi, Pusat Green Therapy Indonesia Timur melaksanakan edukasi kepada masyarakat dan sekaligus memberikan layanan green therpay bagi anak berkebutuhan khusus melalui kegiatan festival green therapy. Tujuan utama kegiatan ini adalah mengenalkan Pusat Green Therapy Indonesia Timur sebagai alternatif terapi untuk anak berkebutuhan khusus. Festival green therapy terdiri atas seminar green therapy dan implementasi sembilan jenis layanan green therapy kepada masyarakat Makassar, Maros, dan Gowa Sulawesi Selatan. Layanan green therapy yang diberikan kepada anak berkebutuhan khusus antara lain terapi dengan berkuda (hippotherapy), terapi dengan air (aquatic therapy), terapi dengan berkebun (gardening therapy), terapi dengan interaksi hewan (ikan dan kelinci), terapi art & crafting therapy dengan bahan alam, terapi bermain dengan bahan alam (pasir dan air), terapi dengan outbound, terapi dengan sensory walk, dan terapi dengan kelas montessori. Hasil kegiatan ini menunjukkan bahwa semua peserta merasa puas dengan materi seminar green therapy. Selain itu diperoleh informasi bahwa semua terapi yang diberikan sesuai kebutuhan, memberikan manfaat, dan mampu menjadi alternatif terapi bagi anak berkebutuhan khusus.

Abstract:  The need for alternative and enjoyable therapies for children with special needs has encouraged the development of the East Indonesia Green Therapy Center at Sekolah Alam Darul Istiqamah, Maros, South Sulawesi. As an effort to publish therapy services, the East Indonesia Green Therapy Center provides education to the community and at the same time provides green therapy services for children with special needs through the green therapy festival. The main objective of this activity is to introduce the East Indonesia Green Therapy Center as an alternative therapy for children with special needs. The green therapy festival consists of a green therapy seminar and the implementation of nine types of green therapy services to the childrens of Makassar, Maros, and Gowa, South Sulawesi. Green therapy services provided to children with special needs include horse riding therapy (hippotherapy), water therapy (aquatic therapy), gardening therapy, therapy with animal interaction (fish and rabbits), art & crafting therapy with natural materials, play therapy with natural materials (sand and water), outbound therapy, sensory walk therapy, and Montessori class therapy. The results of this activity indicate that all participants were satisfied with the green therapy education seminar. In addition, information was obtained that all therapies provided were according to needs, had an impact, and were able to be an alternative therapy for children with special needs.