Spreading positive stories in the digital space is no longer the exclusive domain of journalists or professional creators. Senior high school students and their equivalents are now taking part in shaping constructive narratives, as reflected in the implementation of the Good Creators Academy (GCA) 2025.
The program was initiated by Good News From Indonesia (GNFI) in collaboration with Unilever Indonesia, with senior high school students from various regions across Indonesia as its primary target.
Good Creators Academy was designed as a free training program focused on developing skills in producing value-driven digital content. Participants were not only equipped with technical capabilities, but were also guided to understand the role of social media as a platform for spreading inspiration and creating social impact.
In its inaugural edition, GCA recorded strong participation, with a total of 212 students registering after enrollment opened on Monday (November 10, 2025).
Selection and Training in Stages
From the 212 applicants, the organizing committee conducted a tiered selection process to identify participants with strong potential and commitment. A total of 100 students were selected to take part in an initial online bootcamp as the first phase of training.
During this stage, participants received instruction in content creation, narrative development, and knowledge-sharing sessions with industry practitioners. The selection was then narrowed to 15 top participants who earned the opportunity to join an offline camp in Jakarta.
The in-person program ran for three days, from Sunday (December 21, 2025) to Tuesday (December 23, 2025). While in Jakarta, participants followed an intensive agenda that included talk shows with practitioners, content development discussions, and educational visits to BINUS University and Grha Unilever.
GNFI Chief Executive Officer Wahyu Aji emphasized that the program marked GNFI’s first step in engaging senior high school students.
“This event is the first program we have organized specifically for high school students. We brought together talented students who are already skilled at creating content, and we trained them to produce content that not only attracts attention, but also spreads positive impact,” Wahyu said.
Collaboration and Plans for Regional Expansion
Unilever Indonesia’s involvement in the Good Creators Academy went beyond program support, extending to direct contributions through experience-sharing sessions.
Head of Communication at Unilever Indonesia, Kristy Nelwan, who also took part as a speaker, delivered a reflective message to the participants.
“There are two things I learned from interacting with all of you, and I hope you will always remember them. First, you don’t have to be perfect—just start. Second, we always have a choice, and in this room we have agreed that we will always choose what is good,” Kristy said.
The enthusiasm shown by participants from across the country, from Aceh to Southwest Papua, became a key highlight of the program’s inaugural edition. This achievement has encouraged GNFI to continue the Good Creators Academy in 2026 on a broader scale.
Beyond being held again in Indonesia, GCA is also planned to expand to Malaysia through a collaboration with Locco, a community and digital platform focused on promoting Malaysian arts, culture, and heritage.
“I hope this program can be brought to Kuala Lumpur so that Indonesia and Malaysia can work together and collaborate with one another,” said Locco Co-founder Shamsul Bahrin Zainuzzaman.
This step marks an effort to broaden the impact of the Good Creators Academy while opening opportunities for cross-border collaboration among young people in amplifying positive stories through digital media.
