South West International Development Network

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About us

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

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Bridging the Gap: Student Placements with International Development Charities
Thu, Mar 12 · 1:00 PM GMT
Location not specified yet
REGISTER HERE.

This 45-minute online session is designed specifically for South West charities who are interested in learning how student placement schemes can support their work in a practical, manageable way.

The session will introduce student placement opportunities connected to the MA Conflict, Security and Development programme at the University of Exeter. Placements total 75 hours and can be completed either during the Easter break or spread flexibly across Term 2 (January – March).

We’ll hear from Exeter about how the placement scheme works in practice, what’s involved in hosting a student, and the level of support provided. You’ll hear about the types of projects students can contribute to, the supervision required, and how placements can help charities build capacity, explore new ideas, or progress specific pieces of work.

Students on this programme bring strong intellectual grounding in issues related to conflict, security, development, and related social and political themes, and are keen to apply their learning in real-world, values-driven settings. The placement forms the practical element of their degree and is designed to be mutually beneficial for both students and host organisations.

This event is ideal for charities, community organisations, and voluntary groups looking for additional capacity and fresh perspectives, without the commitment of a long-term placement.

REGISTER HERE.