WOCCU Fellowship Application

Please complete the online form and submit the materials as noted in the guidelines below to be considered for the WOCCU Fellowship 2024. A complete application will include the online application form, your essay and video submissions and a copy of your resumé/CV.

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• Please share an example of an initiative that promotes women and/or emerging leaders in governance or leadership and consider how it could be applied within your credit union/financial cooperative. If your credit union/financial cooperative already has such an initiative, then consider how it might be replicated or applied in credit unions in other countries or regions.
• What is the unique perspective that you would bring to the WOCCU Board of Directors if you were selected as a Fellowship recipient?

Please limit your answers to a maximum of 250 words for each question.

Your answers to these questions should be included in a single Word document and uploaded through the form below. 

Answers must be accompanied by an English translation if prepared in any other language. Free online translation tools are available to assist the process if English is not your native language.

• Please tell us about your experience in governance and leadership, highlighting how that has prepared you to effectively engage with the WOCCU board of directors.
• Identify two (2) strategies for addressing the gaps in leadership and governance opportunities for women and emerging leaders.

The video should be a maximum of 5 minutes in duration and must answer both questions.

Please ensure the video is recorded in landscape / horizontal format.

The video narration may be presented in your native language, however the video must include English subtitles if presented in any other language.

Nominees must upload their videos to YouTube. The video should be titled: “Your Name – WOCCU Fellowship 2024”. The link to the video must be noted on the Application Form below.

All nomination materials become the property of World Council and may be used for promotional purposes in World Council’s educational, news or promotional material, whether in print, electronic or other media, including the World Council website.

All candidates must upload a copy of their most recent Resumé / Bio / CV.

The WOCCU Fellowship is open to emerging leaders 40 years of age or younger on January 1, 2025 and women of any age.

To be eligible for the WOCCU Fellowship, individuals must:

• Demonstrate passion, leadership, personal commitment and the potential to influence credit unions or financial cooperatives within or outside their country.
• Be an active employee and/or volunteer of a credit union or cooperative financial institution.
• Be endorsed by a credit union, cooperative financial institution or national/regional association that is either a member of the World Council of Credit Unions or is affiliated with one of its members. A list of World Council member organizations can be found here.

Preference will be given to applicants who are actively engaged with WOCCU, WYCUP or GWLN and to those who are actively involved with local professional networks.

Following the open application period and a preliminary evaluation by a technical committee, the names of the Fellowship finalists will be submitted to the Governance & Election Committee for review.

The G&E Committee will confirm one candidate from each demographic to serve as Fellowship recipients on the World Council Board of Directors for a period of 1 year.

The WOCCU Board Chair will announce the Fellowship recipients during the Annual General Meeting scheduled on Monday, July 22, 2024.

Candidates are not required to be present at that meeting to qualify for the Fellowship. Recipients will be informed via email immediately following the announcement at the AGM.

The two candidates selected as Fellowship recipients will attend and participate in three in-person meetings of the World Council Board of Directors beginning in the fall of 2024. Their travel expenses, including airfare, hotel and local transportation, will be covered by World Council, including registration to attend the 2025 World Credit Union Conference.

• Observers are encouraged to share their insights during relevant board discussions and will provide a brief update at each meeting on their efforts to expand women and youth participation in leadership and governance at the local, regional and/or national level in their country.
• Observers will be asked to support GWLN and WYCUP events as speakers or panelists throughout their term, including a year-end report at the conclusion of their term.
• Observers must sign a non-disclosure agreement and a commitment letter recognizing these responsibilities and affirming their availability to participate in World Council meetings.

Below is the anticipated timeline for the 2024-2025 WOCCU Fellowship.

• May 15: Application period opens
• June 15: Application period closes
• July 22: WOCCU Fellowship 2024 recipients will be announced at the Annual General Meeting in Boston, USA. Candidates are not required to be in attendance in order to qualify.
• October 2024: Fellowship recipients attend 1st WOCCU board meeting – Croatia
• April 2025: Fellowship recipients attend 2nd WOCCU board meeting – location TBC
• July 2025: Fellowship recipients attend WOCCU board meeting, Annual General Meeting and World Credit Union Conference