Derry Credit Union

Company background

Derry Credit Union was founded in October 1960 — the first credit union in the city and the first to be founded in Northern Ireland. Today, Derry Credit Union has over 30,000 members and over 5,000 minor savers. Operating under the motto Derry Credit Union has successfully provided a source of low-cost credit and other financial benefits and services for its members. Through the loyalty and dedication of its membership, Derry Credit Union has flourished to become the tremendous success it is today.

Challenge

Derry Credit Union heavily invests in the development and progression of staff, but it can be challenging to release staff for training. All staff are required to complete a number of hours of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) per year which are recorded on a training platform. The CEO was seeking a delivery partner for a specific CISI qualification.

Solution

NWRC devised a CISI course to suit the company’s training needs. NWRC were able to offer the Level 2 Award in Fundamentals of Financial Services under the Skills Focus funding. In February 2023, we started a further 11 staff on this course. This will give them the necessary skills to deliver a high standard of financial services for the organisation. A flexible model of delivery was applied to fit with staff availability.

Impact

The overall service offering has improved with more staffed trained to deal with more complex financial requests. Employees have also availed of other Skills Focus courses such as Digital Marketing (L2 and L4) and Leadership and Management courses (ILM) Level 3. We continue to assess and improve our delivery of upskilling programmes to them to support their growth.

Future

Joan Gallagher, CEO of Derry Credit Union, described the benefits of working with NWRC Business Skills Team via the Department for Economy Skills Focus programme: “Derry Credit Union are invested in the development of our team to provide a high-quality service. NWRC Business Support Centre has supported us to continue to improve the team and their skills. It has also helped staff in progressing their career in financial services.”