The Green Batik Coaches Program is a pilot collaboration between the KNVB WorldCoaches initiative and the Green Batik Pekalongan Pilot Project, developed to bring together youth leadership, cultural heritage, and environmental awareness through football. Held in Pekalongan, Central Java, from 2–6 October 2025, the five-day program took place alongside the city’s National Batik Day celebrations, creating a meaningful setting for young participants to explore how sports can support community learning and local sustainability efforts.
The program introduced local youth to the Green Batik concept, which connects batik heritage with responsible water use, environmental awareness, and sustainable production practices. Through a combination of classroom sessions, field visits, football training, and community coaching practice, participants developed leadership skills while learning about the environmental challenges affecting their city.
The opening sessions focused on teamwork, communication, and self-reflection, using the WorldCoaches life skills curriculum as the foundation. Participants worked through interactive activities that strengthened trust, collaboration, and problem-solving. These exercises were then reinforced on the football field, where passing drills and team games demonstrated how clear communication and shared responsibility shape strong performance – both in sports and in community work.
A major part of the learning experience was the site visits to local batik workshops, including Batik Metaflora and Batik Rininta. Here, participants were introduced to the batik-making process and the environmental pressures linked to it, particularly wastewater from dyeing and washing activities. Guided by the Green Batik Pekalongan team, they learned about ongoing work to improve wastewater treatment and reduce pollution, helping traditional batik production continue in a more environmentally responsible way.
As the program progressed, the focus shifted from awareness to action. In classroom discussions on local environmental issues in Pekalongan, participants examined two pressing challenges: batik wastewater and tidal flooding (banjir rob). Working in groups, they discussed how these issues affect local communities and explored possible responses through education, leadership, and community initiatives.
The next stage of the program focused on coaching practice. Participants designed structured training plans for younger students, including warm-ups, football drills, teamwork games, and reflection sessions. They then applied these plans in practice sessions with local elementary school children, turning the football field into a space for youth mentorship and community engagement. Further sessions introduced the Four Golden Principles of Coaching – structure, repetition, adaptability, and team-first focus – helping participants strengthen their facilitation and leadership approach. They also developed action plans using the 5W method (What, Who, Where, When, and Why) to help translate ideas into practical next steps for schools and neighbourhood activities.
The program concluded with a community football event and mini tournament involving 38 students from SMP Negeri 1 Kota Pekalongan and SD Al Azhar Pekalongan. During the event, the young coaches took responsibility for managing team rotations, scorekeeping, timekeeping, and coordination, giving them direct experience in leading community-based activities.
By the end of the five days, participants had gained practical coaching experience, stronger leadership skills, and a deeper understanding of how youth-led initiatives can support sustainable batik practices and environmental awareness.
