About Us

At Wicklow Local Sports Partnership our aim is to support increased participation in sport and active recreation throughout County Wicklow especially across specific target groups such as women & girls, youth, older adults, people with disabilities, unemployed, disadvantaged and minority groups. Wicklow Local Sports Partnership also works to ensure that local resources are put to best possible use.
 
The Vision of Wicklow Local Sports Partnership is to "Increase participation in sport and physical activity in County Wicklow through the co-ordination and delivery of quality programmes, training and services".
 
The Mission of Wicklow Local Sports Partnership is to "Provide sporting and physical activity opportunities through partnership".
 
In achieving this we provide assistance in the areas of sports development, education and training and general information on sporting activities in Co. Wicklow. We work in partnership with sporting clubs, community organisations and local agencies in the county to increase opportunities for the involvement in sport, physical activity and active recreation. Following the Irish Sports Council’s competition process in 2007, Wicklow received full designation from the Irish Sports Council in July 2007, with the Local Sports Partnership commencing operations in November 2008 with the appointment of a full time Sports Co-ordinator. Wicklow Local Sports Partnership is a subgroup of the County Development Board and is overseen by a Board of Management.
The Irish Sports Council in its strategy ‘A New Era for Sport 2000-2002’ proposed to establish a network of Local Sports Partnerships. The Irish Sports Council recognised that Local Sports Partnership’s are an excellent mechanism for delivering recreational sport to local people. The aim of the Partnership’s is to support increased participation in sport and physical activity at a local level. In 2008, the national roll out of Local Sports Partnerships was completed with an LSP established in every county. Funding is allocated annually by the Irish Sports Council for the LSP programme. The key tasks of Local Sports Partnerships are 1) Creation and implementation of plans for long term sport development 2) establishment of sustainable structures to assist all those involved in local sports development 3) delivery of projects & programmes particularly to target groups.
 
Functions of Wicklow Local Sports Partnership are:

1. Information provision: involving co-ordination of local sports information, initiating research, compiling a sports directory/ database and identifying needs and resources to form the basis of local planning and establishing a consultative sports forum.
2. Education & Training: Provision of quality opportunities for education and training at local level, including generic training courses in areas such as Code of Ethics, First Aid and Active Leadership while also supporting the delivery of sports specific courses in conjunction with the National Governing Bodies of Sport.
3. Implementation: Implementation range of national programmes to encourage participation e.g. Buntus, Women In Sport, Go for Life. Programmes are delivered in areas such as Sports Development, Community Sport & Physical Activity, Schools Sport, Youth Sport & Sport and Inclusion. Wicklow Local Sports Partnership will also implement sports programmes in the context of the local strategic plan for Sport and Physical Activity and in line with Irish Sports Council priorities.

 
Outcomes of Wicklow Local Sports Partnership:
The key outcomes that the Irish Sports Council seek from Local Sports Partnerships are:
-         Enhanced planning of sport at local level.
-         Enhanced local coach deployment.
-         Club development.
-         Volunteer training.
-         Local directories of sports bodies & facilities.
-         Better use of existing facilities.
-         Clear priorities for local facility provision and improvement.
-         School, club, community and possibly school-national governing body links.
-         Local sports events.
 
Agencies Involved in Wicklow Local Sports Partnership:
Wicklow Local Sports Partnership work is overseen and directed by Board of Management comprising of all statutory bodies, organisations and groups operating in Wicklow with a responsibility for or an interest in sports provision or development. One of the first tasks of Wicklow Local Sports Partnership was to develop a broad committee which would represent the varied sporting and physical activity spectrum in the county and which would be a key driver in the work of the Local Sports Partnership.
 
Nominations were invited from local agencies, organisations, clubs and groups for the selection of a Board of Management. There are currently fourteen members of Wicklow Local Sports Partnership’s Board.
 
The current Board consists of the following members:
Wicklow County Council: Mr Joe. Lane
Co. Wicklow V.E.C: Mr Kevin Lewis (Chairperson)
An Garda Siochana: Mr Declan Lynch (Vice- Chairperson)
Elected Representative: Cllr George Jones
Elected Representative: Cllr Pat Vance
Wicklow Recreation Services: Mr Dominic Gunshenan
The County Wicklow Partnership: Mr Tom Gregan
Wicklow Uplands Council: Vacant
Health Service Executive: Mr Jim Gorman
Wicklow County Childcare Committee: Mr Jeremy Kynaston
Wicklow Older Adults Forum: Mr John Smith
West Wicklow Fora: Ms Mai Quaid.
Special Olympics Wicklow: Ms Pam Beacom
Wicklow Sports Forum: Vacant
Wicklow Sports Forum: Mr Terry Kavanagh
Comhairle Na Nog: Mr Danny McDevitt