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Saint Lucia the Michigan Credit Unions International Partner
Linking Michigan credit unions with global development
Simply beautiful

In 2007, at the invitation of the World Council of Credit Unions, the Michigan Credit Union League agreed to an international partnership with the Saint Lucia Co-operative Credit Union League of the independent island country of Saint Lucia and on May 16, 2008 at the MCUL AC&E our partnership agreement was signed. This is a REAL Partnership between credit unions on an international level.

In signing this agreement the Michigan Credit Union League (MCUL) and the Michigan Credit Union Foundation (MCUF) have agreed to partner, over the coming three years, with St. Lucian Co-operative Credit Union League. The partnership engages Michigan and St. Lucian credit unions in developing ongoing exchanges of information and knowledge concerning:

Credit union organization and governance
Adoption of PEARLS (WOCCU’s financial soundness measurement system)
Mergers, consolidation and shared branching
Marketing
New Product Development

Through this partnership our credit unions will establish on-going relationships through which volunteers and employees will creatively learn, work and solve problems together through reciprocal educational, business, professional and technical exchanges and projects.

The MCUL has also agreed to establish mentoring relationships between Michigan credit unions and credit unions in St. Lucia. This effort will start as a pilot between 3 ‘twinned’ credit unions. The first credit unions in St. Lucia requesting partners are:

St. Lucia Civil Service Co-operative Credit Union
Elks City of Castries Co-operative Credit Union
Choiseul Co-operative Credit Union

The MCUL is currently seeking mentors for these three pilot projects.

Credit Union to Credit Union Delegate Exchanges

At the invitation of WOCCU and the St. Lucian Co-operative Credit Union League three Michigan representatives visited St. Lucia in November, 2007. During this visit meetings were held collectively and individually with credit unions, national policy leaders and the national co-operative credit union regulator.

In May, 2008 a delegation of three representatives from St. Lucian Co-0perative Credit Union League came to visit Michigan. During this week they visited with large and small credit unions, visited CenCorp, met with State credit union regulators and attended the AC&E.

Planning underway for Michigan’s second delegation to visit St. Lucia

In March, 2009 Dave Adams, MCUL CEO/President will lead a delegation of Michigan credit union staff and volunteers on a one week training and technical assistance exchange to St. Lucia. Planning is underway now for this exchange and tentative plans include:

Signing of our International Agreement in St.Lucia
Credit union to credit union staff exchange during which Michigan credit union staff will shadow a St. Lucian colleague for a day in their credit union

Training and technical assistance related to topics such as;

Mergers and consolidation
Loan policies and collections – best practices
Marketing New Products
Good Governance

Meetings will be facilitated while there on:

Legislative Policy and Regulation
Creation of Central Finance Facility

Credit union volunteers will also spend one day on a credit union tour of the island. This will enable the credit union to learn first hand about the culture of the country and the diversity of the credit unions.

To volunteer or assist with fund development, please contact: Martha Ninichuk, director of Member Relations at: Martha.Ninichuk@mcul.org or 1-800-262-6285 Ext. 445.

To learn more about the World Council of Credit Unions go to: www.woccu.org

To learn more about the island nation of St. Lucia go to: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107931.html