Credit Unions Court Young Leaders

The next generation of credit union leaders just had its first huddle. More than forty young professionals from all eight credit unions gathered today for the Belize Credit Union League’s inaugural Youth Summit, with sessions on financial literacy and entrepreneurship. The goal is to prepare them to lead the movement. News Five’s Britney Gordon was there.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Credit union leaders say young professionals need a seat at the table now if the movement is to stay strong and relevant. To get them there, the Belize Credit Union League hosted its first Youth Summit, bringing emerging leaders from across the country together with experienced professionals from the wider Caribbean and beyond. Holy Redeemer Credit Union Deputy CFO Darren Leal explains.

 

Darren Leal, Deputy CFO, Holy Redeemer Credit Union

“Today it’s really to engage them. It’s really to let them see what opportunities are actually out there, for them to understand that when we work together as a cooperative and as a movement, we can have a lasting, even stronger impact on the members that we serve. And so it’s really to hear from them. The key thing is for us to see how we can build a stronger credit union movement for tomorrow.”

 

Inspired by successful youth initiatives elsewhere, organizers brought together local, regional and international voices to encourage a new generation to get more involved in the movement. Katrina Grant of the Jamaica Co-operative Credit Union League says preparing young leaders now is what will keep the movement resilient and sustainable.

 

 Katrina Grant, Jamaica Cooperative Credit Union League

“It’s important to get the next generation of leaders ready. We’re faced with an aging membership, not just the membership, but also the people who are within the credit union movement. So it’s a part of building legacy and building capacity. So the generations will continue, and the credit union movement will remain resilient and strong.”

 

The sessions covered leadership development, youth engagement and professional growth. Sara Crossley of the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions and the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions pointed young professionals to regional and international opportunities.

 

 Sara Crossley, Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions

“We don’t know what we don’t know. So a lot of people might not know that these networks exist, that these opportunities exist. We have had a Youth Successor scholar from Belize  but it doesn’t mean that everybody knows that that exists and it’s accessible to them. So it’s really sharing information, getting them empowered, showing them examples of where they can go and the opportunities within the movement that they have.”

 

More than forty young professionals and young board members from credit unions across Belize took part in the summit.

 

Eiden Osoria, St. Francis Xavier Credit Union, San Pedro

“It’s of value for, to having young professionals, especially in a youth summit, because we are, like you just said, we are the young generation, so we are the ones that we’re heading for the future, so we are the ones who will lead for the future.”

 

Belize Credit Union League Board Member, Wendy Castillo says the summit is the result of years of discussions on how to ensure the long-term sustainability of the credit union movement.

 

Wendy Castillo, Board Member, Belize Credit Union League

“There can never be a conversation where young people are just numbers. They make up numbers and statistic. For us at the credit union, within the credit union movement, for the longevity of this movement, for the next eighty years of this movement, we have to start engaging our young people so they can take leadership role. We could have good assets, we could have high profit margins, but without people, you don’t have anything.”

 

The summit was a first for the Belize Credit Union League, but organizers say it is only the start of a broader effort to connect young professionals across the movement. Britney Gordon for News Five.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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