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2008 Annual Conference & AGM

2008 National Annual Conference

Tuesday 16th to Thursday 18th September

University of Warwick

"Getting Fit for Purpose"

A series of presentations and workshops
designed for practitioners in the credit union field

View the 2008 Annual Conference Programme

The conference ran from Tuesday afternoon to Thursday afternoon and the programme included:

  • Opening by James Plaskitt MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Work and Pensions

  • The NACUW Action Learning Programme: How you can become involved

  • The Community Banking pilot project: Reports from around the country

  • Launch of the CBAccount: Another string to your credit union's bow

  • Jim Reeves, Union of Communication Workers Employment Law - what you need to know

  • Susan Cassar, Regional Manager - Midlands FSA Financial Capability Financial Capability Initiatives including the Champions Initiative

  • John Cray & Lindsay Watt DWP Growth Fund and other DWP Initiatives

  • Panel Discussion: "Credit unions are no longer masters of their own destiny, but tied to the government agenda."

  • Fringe Meetings

  • Workshops including:

    • Benefit Payments: Delegates heard from organisations accepting benefit payments. An opportunity to share your experience, or to find our more if you are contemplating taking benefit payments.

    • Loan Assessment and Loan Portfolios: Methods of assessing loan applications and their comparative merits. Working towards a balanced portfolio to reduce risk and maximise income from loans.

    • Money Laundering: The latest requirements and an opportunity to fulfil the requirement for annual update training.

    • Transaction Banking: A double taster session of NACUW’s Action Learning Programme. Come and see what an Action Learning Set is like and see if you would like to do more. The development of the CBAccount and other initiatives.

    • Basic Bank Accounts: Delegates heard of others' experiences in helping people to open Basic Bank Accounts. What are banks' requirements? How can your credit union form a relationship with local banks?

    • Growth Fund Loan Officers: A chance to share experiences of operation the Growth Fund, to find out how others operate, to discuss common problems and to explore the role further.

    • Credit Control: Keeping up with slow- and non–payers. What works, what doesn't work and devising a systematic process.

    • Money Advice: A double taster session of NACUW’s Action Learning Programme. Come and see what an Action Learning Set is like and see if you would like to do more. See what advice is available and who from. See how others have used existing provision and what else could be done.

    • Employment Law: a chance to go into this in more detail than given in the general presentation.

    • FSA Current Themes: What are the themes, how might they affect your business or your future thinking?

As always, the NACUW Annual Conference provided an invaluable opportunity for all those involved in the management, development and day to day running of credit unions to

  • share experience and best practice through workshops and discussion groups

  • learn about new developments and legislative changes from speakers

  • meet with and learn from other credit union workers from around the UK

  • learn more about NACUW's training and development activities