From time to time we offer different opportunities to work for a dynamic and rapidly growing co-operative business.

These Roles

Located in St John’s Way, near Archway tube station, the credit union is a savings & loans co-operative that is dedicated to encouraging saving and dealing with debt. Owned and democratically controlled by its members, the credit union is seeking different kinds of volunteers, particularly to serve as part of our friendly member services, for a minimum of 6 hours per week.

Skills/Experience

We are particularly looking for friendly and outgoing candidates who have skills and\or experience of office administration or accounting as well as the use of computers’ to help us build our successful co-operative business. Experience is less important than the willingness to learn. We operate in the fiercely competitive financial services market and are looking for people with good people skills to assist us continue to grow our credit union.

Duties may include :

• Ensuring that members understand that they are owners of this co-operative.
• Dealing promptly and accurately with telephone, email and visitor enquiries.
• Processing membership applications.
• Maintaining accurate computer and paper based records.
• Assisting in maintenance of financial records & reconciliations.
• Assisting in internal audit functions.
• Conducting membership & accounting database maintenance.
• Delivering targeted marketing activities.

Benefits

Although these posts are unpaid they do offer a number of other benefits. Formal and informal training is available, you can meet people and make new friends, gain direct work experience of the financial services industry, strengthen your CV, and know that you are benefiting the community. Out of pocket expenses will be paid.

Other volunteer positions are on the Board of Directors and our Supervisory Committee (internal audit). These positions are elected at the annual meeting or the members.

For an informal, no obligation discussion about this role, please contact the office:

Volunteer Application Form Feb 2016

To submit your application form online please complete all your details in the form below, and click submit when you have finished.

The credit union is a not for profit savings and loans co-operative based near Archway tube station. It is dedicated to encouraging people to save rather than borrowing, but also provides low cost loans at times when needed. It offers a real alternative to high interest borrowers and loan sharks by offering a route out of debt.

Operating in the fiercely competitive financial services market, the credit union provides high quality products to a rapidly growing membership. Additional volunteers are being sought to assist with the increase level of business as the credit union helps more and more people manage their money.

Benefits of Volunteering

• Volunteering with the credit union provides :
• a ‘feel good factor’ of knowing you are helping people
• excellent work experience in financial services
• experience of working in a busy commercial environment
• ways of meeting new friends whilst working in a supportive and friendly team
• access to training and improved employment opportunities
• an opportunity of rebuilding confidence for those returning to work
• travel and out of pocket expenses paid.

Experience / Training Offered

• customer service
• financial record keeping
• effective telephone use
• using computers & different software packages
• marketing & communications
• effective office management.

What We Need

We are seeking volunteers with certain skills and capabilities. Ideally candidates will be:

• good with numbers
• competent in basic spoken English
• honest and reliable
• friendly and outgoing
• attentive to detail.

The Role

Located near Archway tube station, the credit union is the UK’s fastest growing savings & loans co-operatives, dedicated to encouraging saving and dealing with debt. Owned and democratically controlled by our members, the credit union is seeking volunteer directors to serve as part of a friendly team on its Board of Directors to assist with further rapid business development and growth.

Skills/Experience

We are particularly looking for members who are serious and committed candidates with skills and/or experience of good business practice. We operate in the fiercely competitive financial services market and are looking for people with entrepreneurial flair to assist us continue to grow our credit union. Ideal skills might include, accounting, business planning, marketing and sales, staff/volunteer management, fundraising, and financial management. Life experience counts for as much as qualifications in this regard.

Duties

Duties will include attending at least twelve two and a half hour Board meetings over a year, monitoring commercial and social performance, policy setting, participating in sub-committees where appropriate, supporting staff in delivery of the credit unions services, setting strategic targets, ensuring Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulatory Authority compliance. Candidates will normally be expected to spend a minimum time volunteering in the office to gain experience of the organisations day to day operations. Suitable candidates would be invited to attend Board meetings in an observer capacity before possible co-option and election by members at the AGM.

Benefits

Although the post is unpaid it offers a number of other benefits, including the knowledge that tens of thousands of lives are being improved by the credit unions work. Formal and informal training is available, you can meet different people and make new friends, gain direct work experience of the financial services industry, strengthen your CV, and know that you are benefiting the community. Out of pocket expenses will be paid.

For an informal, no obligation discussion about this post, in the first instance please contact ;

Martin Groombridge, Chief Executive Officer, on 0207 561 1786 or email   [email protected]

Workplace Champions – Financial Incentives £20 per member

The credit union is a rapidly growing and successful ‘not for profit’ savings and loans co-operative based near Archway tube station. Volunteers are being sought to assist with the increase recruitment in workplaces offering ‘Salary Savings Schemes’. We will pay £20 for every member you persuade to start saving through the workplace scheme. The money can be donated to your favourite charity or added to your credit union savings account.

The Role

We are seeking members who will assist us in publicising our services in workplaces where staff have access to ‘Salary Savings Schemes’. We would like people to help with one or more of the following:

• Talking to other staff about the benefits of the credit union;
• Credit Union representatives invited to address staff meetings;
• Distributing leaflets and posters in the workplace;
• Helping get information into staff magazines and on intranet;

Benefits of Volunteering

Volunteering with the credit union provides:

• a ‘feel good factor’ of knowing you are helping people
• ways of meeting new friends whilst working in a supportive and friendly team
• access to training and improved employment opportunities
• travel and out of pocket expenses paid.

Experience / Training Offered

• customer service
• effective marketing & communications

What We Need

We are seeking volunteers with certain skills and capabilities. Candidates must be:

• competent in spoken English
• honest and reliable
• friendly and outgoing

To apply to become a Workplace Champion simply complete the form below or email us at [email protected]

Community Champions

The credit union is a rapidly growing and successful ‘not for profit’ savings and loans co-operative based near Archway tube station. It is dedicated to encouraging people to save rather than borrowing, but also provides low cost loans at times when needed. It offers a real alternative to high interest borrowers and loan sharks by offering a route out of debt.

Operating in the fiercely competitive financial services market, the credit union provides high quality products to a fast growing membership. Additional volunteers are being sought to assist with the increase recruitment in workplaces offering ‘Salary Savings Schemes’ so the credit union can help even more people manage their money.

The Role

We are seeking members who will assist us in publicising our services in the community. We would like people to help with one or more of the following:

• Talking to community groups about the benefits of the credit union;
  Distributing leaflets and posters in the community;
  Helping get information into community group newsletters and websites.

Benefits of Volunteering

Volunteering with the credit union provides:

• a ‘feel good factor’ of knowing you are helping people
• ways of meeting new friends whilst working in a supportive and friendly team
• access to training and improved employment opportunities
• travel and out of pocket expenses paid.

Experience / Training Offered

• customer service
• effective marketing & communications

What We Need

We are seeking volunteers with certain skills and capabilities. Candidates must be:

• competent in spoken English
• honest and reliable
• friendly and outgoing

To apply to become a Workplace Champion simply complete the form below or email us at [email protected]

Work Experience Internships

Why Work With Us?

In considering an internship with London’s fastest growing credit union you should be aware that you will be coming to a relatively small organisation rather than a large City institution, but you will not be disappointed. The advantages of working with us is that you will get a much broader range of business experience than you might with a large corporation and will be able to see direct results from your placement. Although we are small businesses, the operational principles are the same as other larger financial institutions and a placement will give any intern a good grounding in the basics of the financial services market. Indeed, this mutual model has shown itself to be more robust than its profit driven competitors in the financial services sector

What Are Credit Unions?

Credit Unions are ‘not for profit’ savings & loans co-operatives that are part of a worldwide co-operative movement. In the UK credit union membership is growing strongly but is relatively undeveloped compared with other countries, such as the USA.

Credit unions operate in a fiercely competitive financial services market and continue to build market share. Unique amongst financial institutions the primary objective is to encourage saving rather than borrowing. Members’ savings form a pool of money from which any member can borrow.

As co-operatives, the Board of Directors is elected by and from the membership on the basis of one person one vote. This fundamentally alters the ethics and operations of the organisation. With no outside shareholders, loans to members are low cost and flexible to meet the needs of members rather than to maximise profit. Any surplus made on trading operations is returned to members (customers) and not to external investors.

The services are of particularly of use to those often excluded from the financial services market such as the unemployed, retired or those working on low incomes. Credit unions provide a real alternative to people who would otherwise rely on the services of high interest lenders, known as ‘Loan Sharks’. Volunteering with the credit union can help many people greatly improve the quality of their lives.

Benefits of Volunteering Work Experience

• Direct work experience in a competitive financial services business
• Learn and develop skills in a competitive business environment
• Gain a thorough understanding of individuals microeconomic behaviour
• Work as part of a friendly, supportive and motivated team
• Experience marketing activity in planning and implementation
• Learn and develop good customer service skills
• Gain an understanding of effective corporate governance
• Participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors
• Gain an understanding of the UK/EU financial services regulation
• Meet and improve understanding of people from every socio-economic, faith and ethnic background
• Gain a range of transferable business skills (i.e. credit control, marketing, customer service, corporate governance, financial management and reporting)
• Gain a greater understanding of British and a range of immigrant cultures
• Play your role in continuing the rapid growth of UK credit unions
• Help individuals and families out of debt.

Sample information about credit unions can also be found at the following websites:

www.credit-union.coop or www.abcul.org