LECP Sustainable Development Goals Working Group

In what is an innovative, cross-sectoral approach to making the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) visible in Galway City, Galway City Community Network (GCCN) coordinates the LECP Sustainable Development Goals Working Group that includes members from civil society organisations, agencies and Galway City Councillors.

The Galway City Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) provides a starting point for local implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

GCCN established an SDG Working Group in 2020 to explore how the Sustainable Development Goals can be
used in the context of the LECP Seed Nine action outlined below.

Relevant stakeholders were identified and subsequently invited to join the Working Group including City Councillors, representatives from the youth sector, arts sector and academia (see membership on the right).

6.4 High Level Goal Four: Encourage a sustainable, resilient urban environment for Galway City that is the regional capital of the West

Seed Nine: Advance capacity and commitment to drive implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Purpose: to promote the SDGs, make them relevant for Galway, and establish the means for advancing their implementation through mainstream policies, plans and programmes.

Milestones:

·       Proofing tools developed and being applied to test proposed policies, plans and programmes for their capacity to advance the SDGs.

·       Agreed metrics deployed to track implementation of the SDGs in Galway City.

·       Collaborative fora established to enable cross-sectoral dialogue on implementing the SDGs and to engage peer support for their implementation.

Partners: LCDC Social Inclusion Sub-committee as a lead partner, convening and working with partners that include GRETB, HSE, Tusla, GCP, Galway Environmental Network, GCC, Galway Chamber of Commerce, Galway Council of Trade Unions, and GCCN.

The Work of the SDG Working Group

The first Working Group meeting took place on October 30th, 2020 which included training on the SDGs delivered by Cultivate. Development Perspectives delivered further training to the Working Group in January 2021. The training focused on exploring how the SDGs could be used in the development of the new Local Economic and Community Plan and the City Development Plan.

To date, the SDG Working Group has identified the importance of embedding the SDGs in city planning including in the new City Development Plan and Local Economic and Community Plan.

In May 2021, the Working Group assessed the Chief Executive’s report of the first stage in the City Development Plan process.

The SDGs Working Group is mapping Local Authorities actions on Sustainable Development Goals nationally, identifying positive actions in Third Level and Business sectors.

The Working Group in collaboration with Galway City Council will support the work of Galway City Councillors in relation to embedding the SDGs in city planning. Galway City Council has agreed to a partnership with NUIG to work on the implementation of the SDGs and held a planning meeting in May. This was followed up with a meeting with the Chief Executive at which GCCN was represented by the Action for Equality Co-ordinator.

In July 2021, the SDG Working Group hosted of a Seminar for Counsellors and City Planners, showcasing the model that NUIG has actioned, in mapping a baseline of SDG achievements and future targets, following the signing of the SDG Accord by the University President.

The SDG Working Group meets quarterly and the meetings are supported by GCCN.

Membership

Membership of the SDG Working group includes statutory agencies, local NGOs and interested individuals as follows:
  • Galway City Community Network as lead partner on behalf of the LCDC Social Inclusion Subcommittee
  • Access for All
  • An Taisce
  • Chamber of Commerce
  • Council of Trade Unions
  • Engineers West
  • Friends of Merlin Woods
  • Galway Roscommon Education and Training Board
  • Galway Chamber
  • Galway City Council
  • Galway City Councillors
  • Galway Civic Trust
  • Galway Council of Trade Unions
  • Galway Environmental Network
  • Galway Traveller Movement
  • HSE
  • Irish Centre for Human Rights
  • Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC)
  • JCI Galway
  • NUI Galway
  • Partnership
  • PPN Galway County
  • Red Cross
  • Third Space Galway
  • Tusla
  • Youth Work Ireland

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