Credit union Leagues create potential value through their actions, Credit Union League of Connecticut President/CEO Bruce Adams wrote in CUInsight. Adams highlights how Leagues work on behalf of credit unions from service corporations to build cost-effective economies of scale to government relations staff who advocate non-stop.

“A credit union league’s ability to create and deliver value derives from the members themselves. After all, without members, there is only ‘Tell’ and no ‘Show,’” he wrote. “Supporting and showcasing the work our members do on the front lines is the ‘Show’ for our ‘Tell.’ And it is the leagues themselves who know their memberships well enough to utilize their stories to the greatest benefit. In true collaborative spirit, leagues often work together to amplify the impact of their messaging.”

Adams notes the Connecticut League launched a financial first responders campaign to highlights the ways credit unions responded to the pandemic.

“Building on the success of #FinancialFirstResponders, our latest campaign calls for all public schools to provide financial literacy education,” he wrote. “We began with an op-ed calling for a mandated high school graduation requirement and will pivot to middle school because those grades more closely align with the time when kids are just beginning their lifelong relationship with money.”

Adams said the Connecticut League uses a three-legged approach to determine whether a campaign aligns with Connecticut credit unions:

• Business benefit: Publicly provided financial literacy education supports our members’ businesses;
• Advocacy benefit: Financial education provides a robust messaging platform; and
• Community benefit: Training generations of students in the basics of personal finance levels the playing field for financial consumers.