Abstract / Summary
Family planning extension workers operate at the interface of population policy, community engagement, and reproductive health services, yet limited evidence explains how their competencies are enacted under organizational and geographical constraints. This study explored how knowledge, skills, and professional attitudes support implementation of Indonesia's Bangga Kencana Program in North Konawe Regency. A descriptive qualitative design involved six purposively selected informants: one key informant, two primary informants, and three active family planning service users. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and document review and analyzed through data reduction, data display, cross-informant comparison, conclusion drawing, and verification, supported by source triangulation. Knowledge enabled program explanation, task understanding, and appropriate referral, although policy updating and data-informed planning were uneven. Skills were evident in adaptive outreach, dialogic communication, basic counseling, and community cadre mobilization, whereas complex counseling, partner engagement, data-informed advocacy, and digital practices required strengthening. Professional attitudes were consistently reflected in respectful, non-discriminatory, privacy-conscious, and non-coercive interactions. Competence supported service understanding and trust, but continuity and equitable reach remained contingent on geography, connectivity, facilities, and work organization. Competency development should therefore integrate practice-based learning, supportive supervision, digital and data mentoring, and realistic service-area management.