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Community SDG Readiness Scale: A Strategic Tool for Bringing Stakeholders Together
Joyce Y. Coffey , Dane Stickney
Youth Contributors: Sandeep Kumar, Arushi Rohilla, Yike Zhang
To cite: Coffey, J. Y., & Stickney, D. (2024). Community SDG readiness scale: A strategic tool for bringing stakeholders together.
International Journal of Youth-Led Research, 4(1).
http://doi.org/10.56299/tuv234
Received September 15, 2024
Accepted November 1, 2024
Highlights
This is a youth-centered theoretical study. Youth researchers were a vital part of active learning and collaboration.
This study addresses the persistent gap between SDG research and practical implementation by offering a universal tool with a unique perspective: stakeholder socio-emotional readiness.
With a strong focus on togetherness and collective mindsets, this study serves as a call for realignment of future SDG efforts.
ABSTRACT
Objectives Our aim is to develop a tool for identifying early adopters among key stakeholder groups in communities, thereby enhancing community readiness and increasing the success rate of SDG project implementation.
Methods To develop the Community SDG Readiness Scale (CSRS), we employed a three-step instrument development method that involves item generation, questionnaire construction, and the creation of an actionable visual interface.
Discussion Although still in its early stages, the CSRS tool shows promise by taking a systematic approach to SDG advancement, guiding innovators through stakeholder evaluation and providing a clear path for project implementation, while emphasizing both organizational and socio-emotional factors to foster collective mindsets and optimize time and emotional energy for sustainable transformation.
Keywords Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Community SDG Readiness Scale (CSRS), stakeholder engagement, socio-emotional readiness, collective mindset, sustainable transformation
INTRODUCTION
© Author(s) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC By-NC.
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See rights and permissions. Published by IJYLR.
Youth Research Vox,
Los Angeles, CA, U.S.
Correspondence to
Joyce Y. Coffey
joyce@youthresearchvox.org
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a framework introduced by the United Nations in the early 2000s. Since then, the framework has inspired significant research advancements, improving the systematic development of SDG methodologies and deepening our understanding of the complex interplay among social, economic, and environmental dimensions of the goals. However, recent examinations indicate a persistent gap between SDG research findings and actionable insights in practice (Berrone et al., 2023; Xin et al., 2024). In other words, SDG research often falls short of driving meaningful change.
Paunović et al. (2022) and Pärli et al. (2023) pointed out that bridging the gap between SDG research and practice requires greater attention to project implementation. While the primary focus of SDG research has been resource management, the main challenge in project implementation lies in stakeholder engagement (Falconer, 2024; Salleh et al., 2023). To effectively close this gap, researchers must shift their focus from things to people. Additionally, much of the SDG literature on stakeholder engagement focuses on the accountability of individual stakeholder groups, often assigning blame rather than exploring approaches that promote a collective mindset (Abhayawansa et al., 2021; Karlsson-Vinkhuyzen et al., 2018). To enhance community readiness and improve the success rate of SDG projects, researchers need to develop implementable tools that foster a collective mindset.