The Australian Mutuals Foundation is proud to be the Australian Credit Union Development partner of the Asian Confederation of Credit Unions (ACCU) which partners with national credit union associations to promote and strengthen financial cooperatives enabling them to help improve the lives of those who use their services.
In June 2024, ACCU held its 36th Development Education (DE) Course in Bangkok, Thailand. The course runs as a week-long educational workshop with approximately 60 hours of structured learning in place, whilst also giving participants the opportunity to develop leadership, presentation and communication skills and an appreciation of credit unions and how they are making a difference in people’s lives all over the world.
Over 30 participants attended the course, with the Australian Mutuals Foundation pleased to have offered opportunities to three Australians from COBA, Horizon Bank, and Unity Bank to experience the collaborative opportunity and widen their understanding of global credit union systems.
Our attendees share their insights and experiences of the 36th ACCU DE Course.
Kim Neal - Unity Bank
I was delighted to attend the 36th ACCU Development Education workshop held in Bangkok. I would like to thank the Australian Mutuals Foundation and also Unity Bank for selecting me as one of the Australian participants and providing me with this experience.
After working in the mutual space my whole working career, it was insightful to learn about where it all began. It is amazing to think that the same philosophies and values still exist today.
We had a group of 36 with three from Australia, and others from the Philippines, Laos, Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia also. At the course, you are divided into groups and allocated a mentor. I had a mix of team members from Philippines, Bangladesh, and Indonesia. The language barrier certainly was a challenge, but we overcome that pretty quickly, and become a solid united team. We worked together on presentations, group discussions and ideas. It was interesting to see and hear how credit unions operated in Asian countries compared to the Australian counterparts.
This experience brought home the reasons why and how well we do it….yes there is always room for improvement, but I was proud to be working for a mutual that puts members first.
The mentors are inspiring, and their passion, commitment and knowledge of the mutual space is commendable. The last day is one big emotional roller coaster. In my summary to the group as we were finishing up, I described the course as each day you get a piece of the puzzle, you work through it and wonder how it all fits in……then on the last day, all the pieces come together and it all makes sense.
I have come back to Australia with a renewed vision and passion for our banking sector. This workshop was truly what I needed at this stage of my career. If you are given the opportunity to attend, please give it a go.
Linh Nguyen - Horizon Bank
I was given an opportunity to be part of the DE program held by ACCU in Thailand this year. It was an eye opener for me at how much credit union’s impact members throughout the world, and this program allowed me to gain more knowledge on ensuring credit unions continue to thrive and what we can continuously do to uphold the reputation we have at providing a high standard to our members.
Not only was I educated on how credit unions are run overseas, I was given an insight into what our fellow Australian credit unions are implementing to not only continue to improve our standards for our members but the opportunities we have provided to make a difference to them.
The mentor’s for the DE program hold so much knowledge and years of experience that all the learning modules were presented in a way that all participants could be well informed with the information they had learned. The mentors were motivating in everything they discussed, and creative about getting that knowledge across to all candidates. They ensured that all important areas were discussed but more importantly everything discussed was done in such a motivating and inspiring way that I was motivated and inspired to do better.
For me personally, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am extremely grateful to have been given this experience. The DE program has helped me grow and build the confidence I need to continue to thrive and grow in my career. I have built long life friendships will all the DE family and I am continuously inspired on a day to day basis by this wonderful experience as we have been able to keep in touch with them all to see how they are progressing.
A big thank you to AMF for giving me this once in a lifetime opportunity and seeing something in me to be chosen for the DE program. I believe anyone who is given this opportunity will be inspired and motivated as I have been.
Sean Lo Casco - COBA
It was with great pleasure, in attending the 36th Credit Union Development Education workshop in Bangkok, Thailand, that I had the opportunity to step out of my usual surroundings and spend time with a delegation of 30-strong employees of credit unions from across Asia. Reflecting on the week we spent together, the greatest challenge of breaking out of my habitual way of thinking to learn from the experiences of our overseas counterparts provided me with a grounding that will continue to shape both my professional career and my view of the broader customer owned banking movement for years to come.
The common thread that unites us all, our commitment to providing financial services centred on people and communities, resonated loud and clear, as delegates all spoke of their passion on basing all decisions in the best interests of their members. But it was the realisation that the credit union is much more than a financial service that resonated strongest. And with this realisation provided the challenge to make sure this purpose isn’t taken for granted, which can all too often be the case.
The cause of the credit union is centred on improving lives through self-empowerment and a collective spirit. As Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen, referred to as the godfather of the credit union movement puts it, “what one person cannot do alone, many can do together”. Throughout the course, the team from ACCU and the AMF provided example after example of how this greater purpose is put into practice.
In South Korea, an integrated credit union model has provided the scale to offer unique solutions such as providing education and training to help its members gain and maintain employment. Across south-east Asia, the Association of Strong Micro Enterprise Development Institute (Smedi) supports financial and economic wellness through entrepreneurial and business development training, helping people in remote and disadvantaged communities to leverage opportunities for financial empowerment. Through the Federation of Savings and Credit Cooperative of Thailand, credit unions build economies of scale through an integrated model, providing centralised IT, legal and marketing services while retaining the unique brand of each credit union.
It is in our shared challenges that provided the strongest learnings. The challenges of operating in economies that favour capitalist tendencies and behaviours unite us all. Credit unions globally face pressure from listed banks, disempowered memberships impacting governance, and the shift away from cooperative values. The power of the credit union movement isn’t in our individual efforts, rather in coming together, as members, as individual credit unions, and as national movements to have the greatest impact.
From an individual perspective, the DE course provided an incredible platform to establish self-empowerment, allowing all delegates to find and share their own unique voice through presentation and public speaking tasks. Our mentors in particular gave us the space to be vulnerable, connect over our shared experiences, and develop the skills to teach each other as we prepared to emerge as credit union leaders. The opportunity to hear the perspective of every single person in the room was an experience I had never encountered before, and the ability to establish an international network by connecting with our global peers ensures that the workshop delivers unique outcomes for all.
I’d like to thank Elenita San Roque, Ranjith Hettiarachchi and Kamon Kiattisirikumpon at the Asian Confederation of Credit Unions for their dedication to advancing current and future leaders in the credit union cause. Additionally, the support of Paul Dawson and Mark Worthington through the Australian Mutuals Foundation is pivotal in maintaining this unique program and allowing the opportunity for the Australian delegation to stay connected to the broader international movement.
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