Collaboration between Irish credit unions

Blog post (50%) (700-1,000 words) The brief is as follows: Donore Credit Union ( ) is an inner city credit union in The Liberties area of Dublin. The mission of the credit union is to promote the financial well-being of its members. It was the first credit union to be established in Ireland in the late 1950s and has proudly remained independent and closely connected to its members ever since. While the credit union had assets of ?100 and a membership of 100 in its first year, it quickly grew to where it is today, having assets of 40 million and a membership of over 5,500 people. Donore Credit Union continues to focus on the core business of loans and savings, really knowing its members and offering a personal touch. It is mindful of its iconic status as the oldest credit union in the country and continues to leverage this position with all of its stakeholders, including its members. The board of Donore Credit Union is committed to operating in accordance with the credit union principles and to dealing with members in a professional and respectful manner at all times. The credit union has strategically positioned itself as being deeply embedded in its local community. Although considered small in asset size relative to other larger entities, it has remained staunchly independent, choosing to retain and nurture its local identity as a stand-alone credit union serving the needs of its specific community. While other credit unions have merged, either strategically or out of necessity, the board of Donore Credit Union has deliberately pursued a strategy of local embeddedness and community partnership, retaining and building on its local identity and competitive advantage. Notwithstanding this autonomous and independent stance, Donore strongly believes in the co-operative principle of co-operation among co-operatives. It works closely with credit unions in the Dublin Meitheal, sharing ideas and expertise with other credit unions across the greater Dublin area. It has also led out on the establishment and development of the Credit Union Alliance (CUSA), a growing alliance of 31 credit unions nationwide collaborating for shared and sustainable success. Drawing explicitly on the practice of Donore Credit Union and your choice 2 other named Irish credit unions, write a blog using convincing evidence and examples, that explains the importance and the impact of collaborative practices between credit unions. Draw, in particular, on examples of their contributions and leadership in supporting collaboration between credit unions in Ireland, as is fitting to their principles and values, and the resulting benefits to members. Submission & Formatting Guidelines for Assignment 1: Do not exceed 700 to 1,000 words in length. The language used in the blog needs to be accessible, punchy and contemporary, while also being professional. The use of images is encouraged. Break up the text with headings. Footnotes should not be used. Endnotes should be used to give the references within the text but only for this purpose.