What we’re about
The South West International Development Network (SWIDN) supports, informs and connects professionals, academics, civil society and students engaged in the global development sector in the South West.
Anyone with an interest in 'international development' is welcome to join our meetup.com group and to attend our open networking events listed here, which happen occasionally throughout the year. It's a great way to meet like-minded people and find out about opportunities and other events in the sector.
For our online events, you will also need to register at the Zoom link in the event listing to gain access to the event.
We also use this page to list our free, members-only events which happen online and in-person across the South West each month. To join as a member of SWIDN, please visit our website and become a paid member for as little as £50 per year. We are a micro-charity and regret that we are not in a position to offer many free events to non-members.
Upcoming events (1)
See all- SWIDN Annual Conference 2025Link visible for attendees
SWIDN Annual Conference 2025 [FREE & ONLINE]
Thursday 16th October
10:00 - 17:00 (drop in any time)
📍Online
🎟️ Free[CLICK BELOW TO REGISTER]
👉 https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/hHKs7wpBT2-9Asyj_htFZAJoin us for a day of learning, networking and reflecting together with peers working towards global justice from across the South West.
In the context of devastating cuts to the global aid budget in 2025, together with rising inequality, we’ll hear from a range of people within and beyond the international development sector on what anti-colonial, antiracist and more equitable alternatives to policy and practice might include. This year, we are particularly focusing on practical recommendations for meaningful change - inspired by feminist academic Chandra Mohanty’s challenge to look for knowledge located beyond development to reimagine alternatives (2003).
What to expect from the day:
✨ Honest, thought-provoking discussions from voices across and beyond the sector.
✨ Practical recommendations you can apply in your work and organisation
✨ A chance to connect with peers, share perspectives, and build collaborations
✨ Training & workshops hosted by industry professionalsEach year we organise our activities around the themes Listen, Learning & Connecting. Here's what we'll be covering this year:
🎤 Listen - Hear from South West academics and practitioners, as well as those beyond the UK, as they share individual experiences and insights into social justice.
💡 Learning - Join our lunchtime Working Group workshop for a free hour of professional development, offering an insight into SWIDN training and workshops that happen throughout the year for our members.
🔗 Connecting - Engage with others doing similar work to you in your local community, both in the South West and beyond, online and in person in Bristol on Friday 17 October, inspiring new partnerships and collaborative ways of working.
Featured Speakers
Malaz Emad - Investigative Journalist - Mutual aid Emergency Response Rooms in SudanSara Gwynn (Motivation - Intl Dev charity & social enterprise) - Inclusion in a time of global exclusion
The conference is free and open to all. Register now to access any or all of the sessions throughout the day.
[CLICK BELOW TO REGISTER]
👉 https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/hHKs7wpBT2-9Asyj_htFZAAfter the conference, join us in Bristol for an informal pub social - a chance to keep the conversations flowing and meet like-minded people in person 💚
For questions, contact us at info@swidn.org.uk.
