Community Development North East is a new network. Its purpose is to assist community development practitioners and policy-makers from all sectors, paid and unpaid, to work together to develop and promote community development throughout the North East.

The idea was developed by a number of regional agencies and was put forward in February 2002 at a North East conference supported by the Government’s Active Communities Unit (ACU). The conference was organised by the Community Development Foundation, CDX (formerly the Standing Conference for Community Development), the Federation of Community Work Training Groups and CWACNEE.

A Working Group of regional bodies, including VONNE, BECON, Regeneration Exchange, CWACNEE, and the Universities has been meeting since then with the support of Government Office North East (GONE) and the Regional Development Agency (One North East) to take the idea forward.

The aims of CDNE are to work with existing community groups, local authorities, networks, companies, and organisations to:-

• Provide a focus for community development practice in the region
  
  
• Provide a policy forum to inform strategic decision-making on the development of regional initiatives
  
  
• Provide networking opportunities across the region and across the public, private, voluntary and community sectors
  
  
• Raise the profile of community development practice among mainstream agencies
  
  
• Promote and share good practice in community development
  
  
• Improve support, training and professional development opportunities for community development workers, paid and unpaid.