THE CITY OF BARBADOS co-operative credit union Limited (COB) is taking a youth-oriented approach this year.
Chief executive officer Steve Belle said they were looking at establishing a facebook page, an interactive website, and a member-discount card in an effort to make a further connection to youth.
He was speaking to the SUNDAY SUN yesterday following the COB CARES Maxine McClean annual scholarship programme in the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Two Mile Hill, St Michael.
“Facebook is where young people happen so we are aware that to be more effective, we needed to get on the social networks,” he said.
As for the discount card, Belle said: “We have also partnered with a number of retail outlets where youth meet, places such as Subway, KFC and Cave Shepherd, where they can present the card and get discounts.”
Belle said they would also be adding an interactive component to their existing web page where topics such as homework could be discussed.
In addition, he said, the company launched its summer internship programme this year to give youth some work experience.
“We wanted our age-16-and-over members to experience the world of work. We selected five from the more than 300 people who expressed interest and for two months, took them through all the departments of the organisation,” he said.
Belle said these interns would also be short- listed when the company was recruiting new employees, should they express an interest, adding they would be selecting ten young people next year.
The scholarship programme awarded 54 young people with around $70 000. The youth are all members of COB’s youth savers programme, which currently boasts 8 000 members who have saved around $8 million, and the categories ranged from participants in the Barbados Secondary Schools Entrance Examination to undergraduates. There was also a special cultural scholarship.
Belle said the programme was renamed last year as McClean, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, is a long-standing member of the credit union and ardent supporter.
In giving the feature address, McClean advised the young people to study the credit union movement and to save their money.
“I implore you as you study, wherever you are, to do some research on credit unions and ask to write an essay on what it means to be a member. You will discover you are part of a very powerful world movement which has transformed the lives of millions,” she said.
COB president James Paul said the scholarship winners showed they had a plan for their future. (CA)
