Exploring Why™ Workshop
Description
The National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) Exploring Why™ Workshop is an experiential training program that credit unions and system partners can use to help their employees connect to the credit union difference and discover new and better ways to drive value for the members and organization. Exploring Why is intended for all credit union employees regardless of tenure.
Agenda
8:30am – 9:00am
Registration – Breakfast Bites, Coffee
9:00am – 9:30am
Welcome & Introductions
- About this Workshop, Facilitators / The Foundation
- Group activity: Introductions + desired outcomes
9:30am – 10:00am
Business vs Social Mission
- Group activity: Business or Social?
- Reflect on how your CU balances serving members and ensuring financial success of the org
- Discuss factors that contribute to business decisions within CUs
10:00am – 10:45am
The CU Difference / Co-op Principles
- Review CU vs Banks
- Discuss cooperatives and the Cooperative Principles
- Discuss how these principles differentiate us
10:45am – 11:00am
Break
11:00am – 12:00pm
CU History
- Explore how and why CUs were created
- Group activity: How our organization started
- Discuss origins of the credit union movement + key events
- CU system overview
12:00pm – 12:30pm
Lunch
12:45pm – 1:30pm
CU Champions Activity
- Group activity: Champions – learn about key CU leaders and accomplishments
- Discuss lessons from CU history + relevancy to today
- Modern day challenges and champions
1:30pm – 2:30pm
Financial Well-Being for All
- Understanding the concept, challenges and opportunities
- Discuss this work in detail and where CUs are finding success
2:30pm – 2:45pm
Break
2:45pm – 3:30pm
Your Values, Your Why
- Discuss core values and the importance of alignment
- Group activity: Reinforcing our “why”
3:30pm – 3:45pm
Wrap Up
- Recap of day, final discussion, and reflection as a group
Speakers
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Josh Roberts
Vice President of System Collaboration & Development | The League
Josh is responsible for promoting credit union service and outreach and fostering opportunities for credit union growth. You can also find Josh helping Wisconsin’s small credit unions with operational consulting, provides strategy assistance by facilitating Strategic Planning Sessions, and providing various training for credit union leaders, staff, and boards. Additionally, Josh is the League Liaison for the Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation and oversees its operations.
Josh has over 25 years of experience in the financial industry, having served credit unions as a vice president, controller, and compliance officer. He is a graduate of CUNA Management School, where he served as Class President, and a 2016 graduate of the Credit Union Development Educators (CUDE) program.
Josh currently serves as the chair of the American Association of Credit Union League’s State Foundation Network. In addition, he is engaged in the community, serving as Board Chair for the Milwaukee Area Technical College Accounting Advisory Board, and as a member of the Milwaukee Area Technical College Banking and Finance Advisory Board. He also co-chairs the United for ALICE Credit Union Working Group and serves on Wisconsin’s Research Advisory Committee for United for ALICE.
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Cooper Larson
Community Financial Education Coordinator | Royal Credit Union
Cooper Larson is a Community Financial Education Coordinator at Royal Credit Union. She has worked in The Credit Union Movement for ten years. Cooper connects Royal with the communities it serves by forming impactful partnerships focused on financial education delivery. She leads Royal’s correctional facility education program, co-hosts Royal’s award-winning Money Donuts podcast, serves as President of the Royal Young Professional’s Group, and is the Young Professionals Liaison to The League on the Chippewa Valley Chapter of Credit Union’s board. Cooper was also a recipient of the 2023 World Young Credit Union Professionals (WYCUP) scholarship which allowed her to travel to Brazil for an immersion experience with Sicredi Credit Union. In her free time, you can find her working on graduate school courses and going on adventures with her Labrador Retriever, Coco.
