The Australian Mutuals Foundation is proud to be the Australian Credit Union Development partner of the Asian Confederation of Credit Unions (ACCU).
The ACCU was founded on 28 April 1971 and operates as a regional trade and development organisation of credit unions and other cooperative financial institutions in Asia. ACCU 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.
From 17 – 23 November 2024, ACCU hosted its 37th Development Education (DE) Course in Bangkok, Thailand. The course runs as an educational workshop and gives participants the opportunity to develop leadership, presentation and communication skills while gaining 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 seven day course, with the Australian Mutuals Foundation pleased to have offered opportunities to three Australians from Regional Australia Bank and COBA to experience the collaborative workshop and widen their understanding of global credit union systems. Read below as the participants share their experiences.
Jennifer Taylor - Regional Australia Bank
I extend my sincere appreciation to the Australian Mutuals Foundation and Regional Australia Bank Ltd for their generous support, enabling my attendance at the Development Education Workshop (DE) in Bangkok from November 17-23, 2024. This unique and transformative experience deepened my appreciation for the credit union sector and reaffirmed the values and passion I aim to bring back into my role as a Business Trainer at Regional Australia Bank.
The workshop provided a valuable platform for enhancing my presentation skills while offering critical insights into the current challenges impacting the viability and growth of credit unions. This experience contributed significantly to my professional development, reigniting a sense of purpose, and reinforcing my commitment to cooperative values.
On our first day, one of the mentors Adam Milbank, introduced the word "transformational," a term that took on profound meaning as the week progressed. The workshop pushed me beyond my comfort zone, fostering new friendships and encouraging active participation from all attendees. Learning about the history of credit unions and their continued positive impact on communities was both inspiring and motivating. It was heartening to see so many like-minded professionals committed to preserving and advancing the credit union movement. This enriching experience has strengthened my determination to contribute more meaningfully to the credit union sector and share these insights within my professional environment.
The presentation sessions were the ones I feared the most, but ultimately found to be among the most rewarding aspects of the workshop. Following a self-reflection session on Day 3, I focused on effective communication and persuasive presentation techniques, coupled with valuable feedback from my mentor, Ranjith, I set personal goals to enhance my presentation skills for the next individual session. This self-driven commitment helped me approach future presentations with greater confidence and effectiveness.
This program has been a stimulating and inspiring journey, offering a unique and transformative experience for which I am deeply grateful. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our mentors — Paul Dawson, Adam Milbank, Elenita San Roque, Ranjith Hettiarachchi and Kamon Kiattisirikumpon, and David Scott and Renee Rafferty — for their unwavering support and guidance throughout my DE journey. It has been an honour and a privilege to be part of such an incredible experience.
Allan Murison - Regional Australia Bank
I am deeply grateful to both the Australian Mutuals Foundation and Regional Australia Bank for sponsoring my attendance at the 37th Asian Credit Union Development Education (DE) Workshop. This experience has significantly impacted my understanding of the credit union sector, enhanced my personal growth, and strengthened my commitment to the values that drive the work we do.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Paul Dawson, Adam Milbank, David Scott, Amanda Smith, and Kamon Kiattisirikumpon among many others, for their support and guidance throughout this journey. The Asian Confederation of Credit Unions (ACCU) has truly created an exceptional development education program, and I am honoured to have been a part of it.
The DE program was a transformative residential workshop, offering over 60 hours of structured learning designed to deepen our understanding of the credit union movement, refine our leadership and communication skills, and inspire us to make a positive difference in our communities.
One of the key moments was the individual and group presentations, where we were asked to reflect on our personal values, vision, and leadership. These opportunities allowed us to engage deeply with the content, share our unique perspectives, and challenge ourselves to grow both professionally and personally.
A profound lesson from the DE workshop is the reaffirmation of our purpose as a credit union: to improve the lives of our members and the communities we serve. Unlike traditional financial institutions that prioritise profit, our mission is to foster financial well-being, inclusion, and social equity. This purpose was vividly illustrated during our visit to an agricultural cooperative outside Bangkok, where we witnessed firsthand how a mission-driven organisation can transform lives. The cooperative provided not only financial services but also employment, healthcare, education, and community support, embodying the true spirit of our movement.
A core takeaway from the DE workshop was the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership. Developing self-awareness, empathy, and emotional regulation is crucial not only in our personal lives but also in our professional roles. Understanding the emotions of others and navigating difficult situations with a calm, empathetic approach allows us to foster stronger relationships and make better decisions. This aspect of emotional intelligence was particularly valuable in our group activities and discussions, where we were constantly challenged to listen actively, support each other, and lead with integrity.
In conclusion, the 37th Asian Credit Union Development Education Workshop was a deeply impactful and life-changing experience. It has inspired me to approach my work with a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper understanding of what it truly means to serve our members.
Robert Thomas - COBA (Customer Owned Banking Association)
It was with great pleasure that I was able to attend the Asian Confederation of Credit Union’s 37th Development Education course in Bangkok, Thailand in November 2024. It was a fantastic opportunity to engage with and learn from both the mentors and the other attendees. There were 34 attendees from Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia and The Philippines and all brought interesting perspectives and insights from their home countries.
The course covered the history of the credit union movement and taught me on its role in fostering: self-help; self-governance; and self-responsibility. This is best summarised by the father of the movement, Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen, when he said, “what one person cannot do alone, many can do together”. The course taught me about how from these principles form the foundation of a global movement that since its establishment has continued on its path of seeking to break the cycle of poverty.
Attending the course has been greatly beneficial in providing me with the opportunity to meet with and learn from international counterparts. I have learnt much more about how the movement differs between countries and the challenges that Asian credit unions face in achieving regulatory recognition, mature governance structures, and the role of federations in those countries. This was supplemented by visiting the Federation of Savings and Credit Cooperatives of Thailand which helped to reinforce the importance of federations in helping credit unions build economies of scale through an integrated model that provides centralised IT, legal and marketing services while retaining the unique brand of each institution. While the Australian movement does not utilise federations there are lessons for us as our institutions grapple with similar challenges.
The course provided a fantastic opportunity for all participants to have a platform to develop their presentation skills and to speak to issues of importance to them. It became clear how much passion and commitment there is for the credit union movement and how it can improve the lives of so many around the world. I learnt key lessons in how to improve my presentation and communication skills especially when having to consider the differing language skills of attendees. This will be of great importance and use in the Australian context in both communicating to those who speak English as a second language but also those who do speak English as their native tongue but may lack understanding or background information.
In conclusion, I would like to thank the mentors of the program Elenita San Roque, Ranjith Hettiarachchi and Kamon Kiattisirikumpon from the Asian Confederation of Credit Unions, and Paul Dawson and Adam Milbank from Australia.
The commitment and dedication of all the mentors to developing and advancing the credit union movement in Asia and Australia is impressive and inspirational. I commend the Australian Mutuals Foundation for its continued support of this program and its key role in enabling Australians to attend this important program and be better connected with and to learn from the international credit union movement.
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