The Social Developers Network is entering a new phase. The challenge is how to broaden the appeal of SDN to attract a more diverse range of people, and how to grow the SDN offering while maintaining its core values.
SDN founder, Ned Iceton, saw the network as a means to bring people together to explore issues in a meaningful and authentic way. He described the role of the community developer as helping people to achieve positive change that strengthens community life. He also saw the need for people to work on their own personal development.
This gives rise to two questions - What is social development? And who is a social developer? No doubt we each have our own views on this but it’s worth asking ourselves these questions. When I did, I came up with a simple idea.
It is a willingness to engage in the world beyond our domestic comfort zones with a sense of social and environmental justice. This creates a commitment to making the world a better place. By accepting people where they’re at, listening to each other, and providing a space for learning, SDN facilitates both theory and practical actions among its members.
Action on climate change, ranked #1 in the 2021 SDN survey, and action on the other issues in the survey - Australia’s future, Indigenous matters, inequality, ageing, mental health, community engagement, neighbourhood development…
This newsletter features a report on the January workshop, the new SDN Collaborative Group, the Voice, and more. As they say these days, ‘Enjoy!’
