As part of the 2026 UN International Year of Volunteers*, volunteers from two of our corporate partners, HPC and Moore Ireland, travelled to Freetown, Sierra Leone, to support the development of future leaders and strengthen the audit capacity within the credit union movement in support of the implementation of the CUGS programme.
Developing Future Leaders with HPC
Led by Deirdre Foley, Facilitator, Executive & Team Coach with HPC, and supported by Úna McDevitt, Foundation staff member, twelve staff and volunteers from the credit union movement recently completed a week-long High-Performance Leadership Journey. Before the visit, all participants completed the Insights Discovery programme.
The programme focused on building confidence, strengthening leadership skills, and creating space for participants to reflect on their roles as current and future leaders of the movement. Through practical exercises, shared discussions and peer learning, participants deepened their understanding of communication, trust and vision – all essential elements of strong credit union leadership. Module 2 of the programme is scheduled for later this year, ensuring that leadership development continues and momentum is maintained.
Speaking about her time in Freetown, Deirdre noted: “There is enormous joy in volunteering alongside people who are deeply committed to learning, growing, and improving the lives of their communities. While leadership is shaped by local context, many core principles – trust, communication and vision – translate remarkably well across cultures… As a proud member of my local Credit Union in Kilkenny, it was especially meaningful to see the Credit Union ethos in action internationally. Supporting community-based financial organisations feels more important than ever in building strong, resilient communities. In Sierra Leone, the Credit Union motto – “Credit Union: Happy Family” – captured that spirit beautifully.
Strengthening Audit Capacity
Four volunteers from Moore Ireland travelled to Sierra Leone to deliver training in audit, governance and internal controls – Pearse O’Donovan, Dawood Ahmadi, Suzie Brennan and Jenny Doherty.
The volunteers from Moore focused on supporting local credit unions in building strong systems that protect members’ savings and ensure sustainable growth. During the week, the team:
- Visited local credit unions to understand their accounting and reporting systems
- Delivered practical workshops on audit planning and internal controls
- Worked alongside local audit and compliance teams to strengthen oversight processes
- Facilitated hands-on loan testing exercises
The training combined theory with real-life application, allowing participants to build skills and confidence in a practical, supportive environment. The visit concluded with a meeting with Patrick McManus, Ambassador of Ireland to Sierra Leone, to reflect on how continued collaboration can support financial inclusion and community development. For all four volunteers, it was their first time travelling to West Africa. We know the team in-country learned a great deal from them, and likewise, the four volunteers took a lot from the experience. See below for their thoughts on the visit.
We extend our sincere thanks to all our volunteers for generously volunteering their time and expertise: Deirdre, Pearse, Dawood, Jenny, and Susie – thank you all for kindly sharing your knowledge with our colleagues in-country, and for your preparation in advance and the debrief on your return. To both HPC and Moore Ireland, we extend our thanks for your support and valuable partnership.
This year, 2026, has been recognised by the United Nations as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development. It is a timely reminder that volunteering and sharing knowledge are vital to building stronger communities. We also want to acknowledge and thank all those who have volunteered for the Foundation over the years, given their time, skills and experience to support the development of strong, resilient credit union movements. This is the credit union philosophy in action: people helping people, even across continents.
*Please note we have no Volunteer Coaching Programmes planned for this year, yet, but we will have an opportunity for credit union staff and volunteers to participate in a weeklong overseas trip. More information to follow in the coming weeks.