Cornerstone Foundation Grant Helps Launch Youth Leadership Program
An idea shared by a group of Credit Union Development Educators is becoming a first-of-its-kind experience for young people—and a Cornerstone Foundation grant helped move it from vision to reality.
Investing in Future Cooperative Leaders
The Youth Immersion Program will bring participants ages 12–18 together in August for a week of leadership development, service, and experiential learning at IslandWood, a 250-acre learning center on Bainbridge Island, Wash. Resource One Credit Union President/CEO Mary Beth Spuck is among the credit union leaders guiding the initiative.
The Cornerstone Foundation provided a $10,000 grant toward the program, contributing to more than $22,000 raised across the credit union movement. Scholarship assistance is also available so financial circumstances do not prevent young people from participating.
Turning Cooperative Values Into Experience
Rather than relying on classroom instruction alone, the program will use team challenges, outdoor activities, cooperative simulations, and problem-solving exercises to build confidence, empathy, collaboration, and leadership skills. Participants will also explore how cooperative principles can help address challenges in their communities.
“This isn’t just an investment in youth; it’s an investment in the future of the credit union movement,” Spuck said.
Organizers intend for the initiative to become an annual program, with a second-year experience planned in Kenya. By introducing young people to service and the “people helping people” philosophy now, the program is building a pipeline of future employees, volunteers, executives, and community leaders prepared to carry the cooperative movement forward.
