Janet Gibson Eichner, Senior Manager, National Media & Communications, Canadian Credit Union Association
Credit unions take their contributions to local communities seriously – so seriously in fact that in 2015, 72 per cent of credit unions enabled their employees to participate in voluntary activities as part of their paid work. Add this to the 80 per cent of credit unions that reported in the same year that their employees used their own free time to represent the credit union at community activities and organizations, and you have an incredible example of how credit unions put people before profits throughout the year.
As part of Canada’s 150th celebrations, the Canadian Credit union Association (CCUA) is hoping to capitalize on this outpouring of generosity by issuing its own system-wide challenge: 150,000 volunteer hours invested in local communities across the country by year-end.
To support this initiative, CCUA has partnered with Volinspire, an innovative "tech for good" platform, to launch this volunteer challenge. First West Credit Union, Prospera Credit Union and Interior Savings are all current users of Volinspire.
There are many far-reaching benefits to using Volinspire, that go far-beyond recording the number of hours your credit union staff is volunteering in their local community. This platform enables credit unions to provide real time messaging, the ability to spotlight staff and the organizations your credit union is volunteering with, stories can easily be posted and shared, and credit unions can more easily find volunteer opportunities and charities looking for assistance. These same charities/organizations can also endorse your credit union, which helps build credibility within the community.
This value was reflected in a recent statement by Kelly Pollard, manager, Communications, Interior Savings. “There’s a sense of pride that I didn’t necessarily have before. When you see [your profile] with everything that your credit union is accomplishing, it’s a great feeling. I hope it’s something that more people can feel and be part of.”
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