WOCCU’s International Partnerships Program brings together credit union movements from around the world to exchange ideas and technical expertise with the goal of building stronger institutions for the benefit of their members.

WOCCU pairs a credit union league with a credit union or trade association overseas. The partnership is established when each organization, accompanied by WOCCU, visits its potential partner to observe operations and determine common areas for work. The parties formalize their relationship by signing a partnership agreement and developing an annual work plan.

All parties that agree to enter into these associations find benefits. To the more developed partners, this relationship has immensely increased the understanding of credit union development challenges and has reaffirmed the credit union mission and the uniqueness of the credit union movement effectively. WOCCU has come to depend upon the existing international credit union partnerships as essential to achieve its mission.

Commitment

• Agree to conduct two to four joint activities in a year. An activity could be hosting a delegation from the partner country and coordinate visits to the league or credit unions in your state. Another sample activity would be sending materials, manuals, and bylaws to the partner country. Similarly, traveling to the partner country to address their Annual General Meeting, present on a specific credit union topic, meet with their government officials, etc. Activities are agreed upon with the partner country in semiannual planning sessions.
• Willingness to become a WOCCU supporter. When your annual commitment is designated to your partnership activities, WOCCU would apply it to supporting the partnership activities with your partner country. WOCCU suggests a Silver ($5,000-$9,999) or a Gold (10,000-24,999) yearly contribution. All WOCCU Supporters will be listed by recognition level in WOCCU publications, our website and at our conferences. WOCCU Supporters are also invited to two annual recognition receptions: one at the CUNA & Affiliate’s Governmental Affairs Convention (GAC) and one at the World Credit Union Conference. With your payment receipt, you will also receive a special supporters report on activities made possible by your support. The report is in CD-ROM PowerPoint format, suitable for use reporting back to your constituency or board.

Partners have engaged in many activities overseas by providing guidance and expertise to their international partners. Here are a few examples:

• Examiner Training with local examiners: Philippines and Oregon
• Hispanic Outreach and Marketing Programs: Mexico and 4 U.S. Leagues
• Exchange credit union program: Paraguay and Minnesota
• Disaster Recovery and Security Workshop: Nicaragua and Washington DC
• Minister of CU development and government officials visits: Kenya and Pennsylvania
• Seminar on Governance Best Practices: Massachusetts and Bahamas
• Building a corporate credit union: Bolivia and Ohio
• Lobbying for credit union-specific law: Iowa and Panama, Kenya and Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Dominican Republic

Some partnerships also choose to develop credit union-to-credit union partnerships. In these partnerships, an individual credit union from the US league directly partners with an individual credit union from the foreign entity. This type of partnership allows for a more specific, defined area of cooperation and a very direct and personal learning experience. Prior credit union-to-credit union partnership focus areas have included:

• Website design and development
• Creation of youth programs
• Marketing to a specific segment (Hispanic, West Indian, etc.)
• Educational sessions

There are currently 26 international partnerships worldwide, and the program is rapidly growing as more credit unions see the benefit of sharing ideas and working together to provide better services for all members.

How we start partnerships

There is no particular pattern that we follow when we start a partnership. WOCCU seeks to match its members and supporters, both in emerging and developed countries. We usually ask geographic preference. Other than that, we match those credit union movements that have expressed an interest in the program at a particular point in time.

Why enter into a partnership?

• Helps credit union movements stay strong as it transfer knowledge on how to operate credit unions in a soundly and safe way.
• Right thing to do if you have the resources
• Another selling point of the credit union “difference”
• Rediscovering cooperative spirit of credit unions
• Build awareness in the industry and with government officials
• Opportunity to see things from a different perspective
• Opportunity to forging long lasting relationships and visit a different culture
• Business opportunities
• Promotes good will at a larger scale: Canada and partner country

At the moment, WOCCU does not have a pamphlet that promotes the partnerships. Usually when the management and/or board of a league or credit union is interested in the program, the International Partnerships manager travels to one of their meetings and explains the program. The length of each partnership is indefinite or renewable unless otherwise stated in the partnership agreement.

For further information, contact:

Victor Miguel Corro
International Partnerships Manager
Phone: 608-770-2815
E-mail: vcorro@woccu.org