VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
The conference committee has received advice that NZ borders are unlikely to reopen this year. Due to this, the conference will now be held virtually via zoom conferencing.
New dates (likely to be June), revised lower prices and a further stream on community development in the time of Covid will be announced shortly.
Keep up to date here on our website or register below to receive email updates!
Scroll down to learn more!
Register today!
Haere mai! We officially welcome you to join us at the 2021 Conference.
Click below for more details and to formally register today.
When?
April 27 - 29, 2021
Where?
North Tec Campus
51 Raumanga Valley Rd
Raumanga, Whangarei
0110 Northland
New Zealand
Post conference field trips and workshops will take place.
There will also be a post conference presidents tour for international guests.
Details are yet to be confirmed.
Guest Information
Need some help planning your trip?
We've got you covered. Just click below to view our local accomodation, food and transport recommendations courtesy of Fiona Guscott.
Conference Aims
The conference will consider current issues in Community development, new and applied research and innovative practice. In particular it will reflect on the CD response to the major challenges of our age, inequality and climate change as expressed in the 17 Goals for sustainable development known as the SDG’s.
The conference will reflect on CD today, the perceived retreat by Government and Local Government from supporting the field. The loss of education and training programs. The apparent side-lining of Community Economic Development in favour of a colonised version of Social Enterprise.
Globally the International Association for Community Development, IACD, has been involved in an extensive consultation exercise, including a conference in Aotearoa New Zealand, to develop its guidance “Towards Shared International Standards for Community Development Practice.” This project has excited the CD community and is now translated into 14 languages and the subject of workshops and conferences around the world.
Our aim for this conference is to bring the standards to life by adding a specific chapter on practice in Aotearoa New Zealand, through a process which enables our neighbours in the region to develop their own national standards chapter, and build the relevance and resilience of our practice.

Call for
papers & participation
Practitioners, Academics and Trainers are invited to submit proposals for the 2021 Community Development Conference. The conference committee will consider both Quality Assured and Practice submissions which address the conference goal and themes in the following categories:
Posters
An A2 sized poster describing CD practice, including learning and teaching, or research. Posters will be displayed in the event foyer and there will be dedicated times for discussion and viewing.
Workshops
Workshops will be 50 minutes and must be interactive participatory experiences. They may disseminate research or explore practice, including teaching and learning.
Quality Assured Presentations
QA presentations will be of 25 minutes including discussion which should be 10 minutes. These presentations will be peer reviewed through a QA process and will be considered for publication in the QA conference proceedings.
Short Films
Short films will be considered for an in-conference film festival. While these will not be subject to a QA process a peoples choice award will be awarded to the most popular short films.
Conference abstracts can be submitted via the bottom of this page, using the guidelines on the site.
Submissions close January 25, 2021.
CONFERENCE SUB-THEMES
Indigenous innovation
Community engagement
SDGs: submissions on all of the 17 goals will be considered especially Ending Poverty and Hunger, Reducing Inequalities, promoting health, wellbeing and education, Climate Action and Living Sustainably
Community Economic Development
Reclaiming Rights and Justice
Contemporary Issues in CD
Our CD history
Researching, Teaching and Learning with Communities
2021 Submission Guidelines & Conference Proceeding Guidelines
The conference proceedings accepts submissions in the form of papers suitable for peer review and according to the conference themes. These papers may also be the subject of a presentation at the conference.
As an international CD conference, the proceedings is using English as a standard language. Submissions will be published primarily in English. Please note that submission is possible only by e-mail. All submissions should be in Microsoft Word format. All submissions should follow the APA style guide, 6th edition, for citations and referencing.
Font:
Arial, 12 point
Tables:
Send tables or figures in .rtf, .doc, .gif, .jpg, or tiff format.
Images:
Images should be sent separately in .jpg format with their file names as the relevant figure #, along with a separate Microsoft Word document that lists the figures and codes them back to the .jpg file. In the submission document write ‘Insert Figure #’. Images must have a minimum resolution of 300 PPI.
Submission Length:
Referred papers 4000 to 6000 words.
Please email your full paper to: cdjournal.unitec@gmail.com
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
An A2 sized poster describing CD practice, including learning and teaching, or research.
Posters will be displayed in the event foyer and there will be dedicated times for discussion and viewing.
Submissions close January 25, 2021.
PRACTICE WORKSHOPS
Workshops will be 50 minutes.
The workshops must be interactive, and be a participatory experience.
They may disseminate research or explore practice, including teaching and learning.
Submissions close January 25, 2021.
QA ORAL PRESENTATIONS
QA presentations will be of 25 minutes including discussion which should be 10 minutes.
These presentations will be peer reviewed through a QA process and will be considered for publication in the QA conference proceedings.
Submissions close January 25, 2021.
The date for outcomes of submissions is yet to be announced.
SHORT FILM
Individuals and agencies are invited to show a short film (maximum 30 minutes) for inclusion in the Conference film festival.
Applications must include a description of the film, and a brief bio of the filmmaker or agency.
Submissions close January 25, 2021.
SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL!
Use the button below to submit a proposal for review.
All presenters are required to register for conference.