Talking Credit Unions from Swoboda Research Centre

Send us Fan Mail I have heard, in the past, the critics state that involvement of employees, or directors, in credit union international projects can be expensive and/or the benefits are not too tangible. So, I decided capture the views of some well respected voices and seek out an answer to my question. Why bother with international credit union projects? International credit union projects are n...

Send us Fan Mail A brief round-up on CFCFE, ABCUL and World Council of Credit Unions conferences. Talking Credit Unions is a regular podcast dedicated to informing credit union practitioners, leaders, and opinion formers on a variety of industry topics. The podcast is sponsored by the Swoboda Research Centre.

Send us Fan Mail Credit Union Conference: Planning for the New Normal 10.00am-3.30pm, Tuesday 22 September 2020, Clayton Liffey Valley Hotel and live online Presented by the Centre for Community Finance Europe, in collaboration with Liverpool John Moores University. What is the issue? Enough has been written about the COVID-19 crisis for us all to know the outlines of the impact – the economy sign...

Send us Fan Mail This edition asks how prepared are our credit unions for the possible employment issues that the pandemic has forced onto their businesses? Some of the changes may be positive and some may be relatively painless. However, changing a workforce to suit the new circumstances, or restructuring as it is called, is always a challenge and there are clearly good ways to do it and pitfalls...

Send us Fan Mail This edition is about member recruitment via payroll deduction. How British and Irish credit unions, and others, have managed their journey into member recruitment via the route of employer participation. I have some excellent guests on the podcast and my gratitude goes out to them for giving up their valuable time freely in the middle of this pandemic.  We will hear from:  Billy...

Send us Fan Mail This edition provides a snap shot of two Irish credit unions and their immediate actions taken to help credit union members, staff and communities in response to the COVID-19 crisis in March and April 2020. These actions demonstrate and exemplify the ‘credit union difference’. The COVID-19 health crisis has meant extraordinary operational and commercial challenges to credit unions...

Send us Fan Mail  A fundamental principle of the credit union sector is ‘people helping people’. The COVID-19 health crisis, with its associated social lockdown and economic shocks, has presented operational and commercial challenges to credit unions that go way beyond previous experience. Credit union members are having to cope with social distancing and sometimes isolation, as well as potentiall...

Send us Fan Mail This interview gives a good insight into the practical world of 'new' credit unions, Fin Tech, regulation and access to new members featured here. An interview with Matt Bland the new CEO of The Co-op Credit Union based in Manchester UK, “Credit unions are all about solidarity with our colleagues and neighbours in financial matters. Helping one another save and borrow af...

Send us Fan Mail This interview took place immediately after Manchester CFCFE Conference in Manchester. At that conference Todd had outlined his extensive experience of IT solutions in the credit union sector in the USA, and his recent engagement with Irish credit unions. Todd noted that core IT system replacement, the focus of his presentation, is a very significant project for credit unions, but...

Send us Fan Mail Robert Kelly CEO, of the trade association ABCUL (Association of British Credit Unions Ltd), talks about is first months in the role and the forthcoming national conference in Manchester (March 2020). Talking Credit Unions is a regular podcast dedicated to informing credit union practitioners, leaders, and opinion formers on a variety of industry topics. The podcast is sponsored b...

Send us Fan Mail I was at CFCFE’s conference in Manchester (17th January) and Drew Povey spoke about leadership in a time of change, and how to show courage; Rob McIntosh explained his vision of digital community, how it can be realised and how it is relevant – critical – to credit unions; Marloes Nicholls summarised the risks and significant opportunities for credit unions from the effective use...

Send us Fan Mail Interview with Abbie Shelton about a Oral History project about the Uk Credit Union movement. Starting with a possible pilot in the north of the country leading to a national roll-out if the project receives the funding. abbieshel@icloud.com A preview of the forthcoming CFCFE Manchester Conference, in January 17th 2020 from an interview by Nick Money. nick@nickmoney.co.uk A run th...

Send us Fan Mail December 2019 - Preview 2020 Podcasts Chris Smith - Talking Credit Unions Interview with Abbie Shelton about a Oral History project about the Uk Credit Union movement. Starting with a possible pilot in the north of the country leading to a national roll-out if the project receives the funding. A preview of the forthcoming CFCFE Manchester Conference, in January 17th 2020 from an i...