The International Association for Community Development
Community development is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline concerned with the organisation, education and empowerment of people within their communities and the International Association for Community Development (IACD) is the only global network for those who work in this field.
We are accredited with the U.N. and have members across the world. If you are a development agency manager, funder, fieldwork practitioner, academic, student or volunteer community activist and would like to connect with other community developers around the world, this is the network for you.
IACD…
- organises conferences and smaller regional events;
- publishes an international community development magazine and other resources;
- puts you in contact with national community development associations;
- runs international study visits and exchange programmes;
- provides continuing professional training opportunities;
- has an extensive bank of teaching and learning resources;
- seeks to influence and respond to international public policies that impact upon communities and the sector;
- advocates for community development at the U.N. and other international arenas.
Why a global network?
Whilst we have convinced many people of the value of community development, funding for this work and long-term political support in most countries remains on the margins. IACD, together with regional and national community development associations and organisations, provides an infrastructure for much needed global networking and collaboration.
We organise the annual World Community Development Conference each year with national partners.