The organisers of the World Community Development Conference 2026 (WCDC 2026) are delighted to announce that the charity linked with the Community Development Journal (CDJ) is the event's first Platinum Sponsor.

The CDJ is the leading international journal in Community Development, covering a wide range of topics from policy and planning to action, and fostering debate on theory and practice related to social justice, diversity, and environmental sustainability.

Following the Board’s recent decision, Jo Howard, Co-chair, Editorial Board of the CDJ, said:

'We are delighted to be in a position to support the WCDC 2026 through sponsorship from the charity linked with the CDJ, and enable practitioners to attend. Our mission as a journal is to support and promote critical engagement around Community Development, and we strongly believe in supporting practitioners to come together to reflect on their practice.'

The World Community Development Conference 2026 theme is Community Development in a Chaotic World: Challenge, Change and Collective Action. It will take place at the University of Glasgow from 30th June to 2nd July 2026 and is hosted in partnership between the International Association for Community Development (IACD) and the University of Glasgow.

The CDJ has been published by Oxford University Press since 1966 and, as part of the conference programme, will host an international plenary panel to celebrate its 60th anniversary on the theme: Shaped by Past, Co-creating the Future: Community Development in a Turbulent World.

This significant sponsorship provided by the CDJ for the conference will be directly used to fund bursary support for both local and international delegates. This essential financial aid will help cover travel and other costs, ensuring the participation of practitioners who would otherwise be unable to attend.

“We are incredibly grateful for the Community Development Journal’s commitment to making WCDC 2026 an accessible and truly global event. This sponsorship is transformative, removing financial barriers so that vital voices and experiences from the grassroots level can contribute to the conference in Glasgow,” said Daniel Muia, IACD Chair.