CDAS is a Registered Scottish Charity SC038638

CDAS receives financial support from the Learning Connections unit of the Scottish Government.

Community Development Alliance Scotland

Welcome to the Community Development Alliance Scotland Website

The Community Development Alliance Scotland is an independent network of national organisations that have the promotion of community development as part of their goals.

Community Development: Now more than ever

Details of our 21 September 2010 Conference on 'Empowering communities to respond to the challenges facing public services' are available here.

Join the debate on community development in Scotland

CDAS has produced a Statement of Principle and a longer Position Statement. These look at the role and position of community development in Scotland and how it can make a major contribution to achieving our social and economic goals. You are invited to join in debate on the issues arising.

Read the documents here

Latest Information Bulletin

Our July/August 2010 Bulletin is available here

Putting community development in community safety

Presentations and key issues from our March 2010 conference are available here.

Sustainable Development Education and Community Learning & Development

Scottish Natural Heritage organised a conference in February 2010, in association with CDAS and the Sustainable Development Education Network, to look at the close links between these two approaches. A report of the event on is now available along with presentations, links to contacts etc.

'What Community Development Does'

CDAS has produced a booklet 'What Community Development does: A short guide for decision makers to how it achieves results'. More details here.

Stronger Communities: Wealthier and Fairer Scotland

Some of the presentations from our November 2009 conference are available here.

Measuring What Matters

An illustrated report has been produced by CDAS and partners on 'Measuring What Matters'. It is based on the proceedings of our 27 March 2009 conference. This was held to look at experience, in Atlantic Canada, in the UK in general and in Scotland, of developing approaches which incorporate fresh thinking about the measurement of progress; and to engage in a dialogue about how to base our policies on what really affects the quality of life in communities and strengthens them, and to involve people in deciding what outcomes matter to them.

Download report (1Mb)

The report is intended to be a starting point for discussion about how to improve practice in Scotland and elsewhere.

The original presentations from the conference are also still available here

Advocacy services in the changing welfare state

Here is a short report of the discussion at our members' meeting on 20 November 2009, when Professor David Donnison, University of Glasgow, gave a presentation and took part in a discussion on the role of advocacy services in the changing welfare state in Scotland, and the manycommon issues concerning the role of community development.

'Learning to Work Together for the Future' -Community Learning and Development and Sustainable Development

Presentations and discussions from our 13 February 2009 conference are now available here.

Communities and Wellbeing: Opportunities and Challenges

Here is a short report of the discussion at our members' meeting on19 August 2009, when Colin Mair, Chief Executive of the Improvement Service gave a presentation and took part in a discussion on ‘Communities and Wellbeing: Opportunities and Challenges’.

Community development and tackling poverty

Here is a short report of the discussion at our members' meeting on 22 May 2009, when Robin Tennant and Sarah Welford of the Poverty Alliance gave presentations and took part in a discussion on community development and tackling poverty - The role of Community Development in ‘Achieving Our Potential’

Issues for community development in Scotland

Here is a short report of a discussion at our members' meeting on 15 January 2009, on the issues and developments which are affecting the progress of community development work in Scotland, and on which CDAS should focus its attention.

Enterprising Communities?

Here is a short report of the discussion at our member's meeting on 24 October 2008 when Tracey Slaven of the Scottish Government (Third Sector Division) and Chris Higgins of Highlands and Islands Enterprise each each gave a presentation and took part in a discussion on their work and the relationship between ‘enterprising communities’, social enterprise and community development.

A strategic framework for community development?

Here is a short report of the discussion at our members' meeting on 11 August 2008 when Gabriel Chanan of the Community Development Foundation (CDF) gave a presentation on his experience of developing “The Community Development Challenge" for the Department of Communities and Local Government and we discussed what might be needed in Scotland.

Here is a note of a discussion amongst a number of CDAS members on how to take this forward.

Report from seminar on outcomes

The report from the CDAS Seminar 'Making the connections - How community development helps to deliver national and local outcomes', held 18 March 2008 is here

Mental health and well-being

A report of a discussion 'Re- generating community wellbeing' on the role of community development approaches in helping to realise aspirations for ‘A Mentally Flourishing Scotland’ , organised by the Scottish Urban Regeneration Forum in co-operation with CDAS is here

New Powers for Communities?

The report from the CDAS Seminar on Scottish Government plans, held 1 November 2007, is here.