PLATTSBURGH, N.Y.–With credit unions often lamenting a lack of penetration among younger consumers, Dannemora FCU has launched the “NextGen Ambassadors Council (NGAC),” which it said is designed to provide local high school juniors and seniors with leadership development, financial literacy, and active engagement with credit union and community leaders.

According to the credit union, the NextGen Ambassadors Council will serve as a platform for students to collaborate with DFCU professionals and community members, “providing valuable insights into the financial industry while giving students a voice in shaping services for their generation.” 

DFCU said the program is part of its ongoing commitment to educational outreach and youth empowerment across the North Country.

‘A Meaningful Space’

“The idea behind the NextGen Ambassadors Council was to create a meaningful space where students could both learn from and contribute to our organization,” said Anna Hewitt-Channell, business development and marketing manager. “It’s not just about teaching financial skills – it’s about inviting students to the table, encouraging leadership, and preparing them for success in both college and career.”

Hewitt-Channell told the CU Daily that she first pitched the idea after attending a conference in 2023 and recognizing the $298.3-million Dannemora FCU needed a bigger program to benefit students in its markets.

In response, she said she created a “committee” to help bring the project to life.

The Initial Plan

The plan calls for beginning with the schools that are among the 12 that are in its “section” of the New York schools and to have two students per school. 

 in its “section” (there are a total 12 schools in each section). Our goal is to have 2 students per school.

“We want the students who are passionate about their community,” Hewitt-Channell said. “We want students who feel like their voice might matter in a setting that involves local leaders and need some inspiration or ideas. I’d love to have students who have no clue what they want to be when they grow up and we can show them some career paths within our area and someday they look back and say, ‘Wow, I really started to discover my passions when I joined the NGAC with DFCU.”

What’s Involved

According to the credit union, , which has approximately 22,000 members, accepted participants will attend four structured seminars throughout the academic year, covering key topics such as credit, loans, budgeting, and major purchases. Students will also receive mentorship, behind-the-scenes access to credit union operations, and letters of recommendation from DFCU leadership upon completion of the program.

Hewitt-Channel said the educational piece of the program will expand on financial literacy, community engagement, career development, along with some networking with local leaders. 

‘No Idea’

“Students graduate high school and often times have no idea how to buy a car, they have no clue what credit is,” Hewitt-Channell explained. “They know they need to take out a student loan but what are the steps to doing this? We can introduce them to some marketing careers/partners, some IT and data information, we can have our CEO and CLO provide them introductions on being a leader. We want the resources to be fulfilling and endless but also useful in the real world.”

In addition, she said that by participating in NGAC students will gain a “foundational understanding” of how financial institutions operate, along with practical life skills often overlooked in traditional education. 

The Benefit to the Credit Union

Attend any credit union meeting and the low penetration of CU membership among younger demographics will almost inevitably be raised. To that end, Hewitt-Channell emphasized Dannemora FCU it intends to take full advantage of the students for their insights.

“That was actually how I came up with this idea,” Hewitt-Channell said. “I kept thinking to myself, ‘We need to get direct feedback from the younger generations. We need to hear directly what they like/dislike, what they think needs revamping and I wanted to be able to pick their brains! How could I do that?’ I proposed this as a ‘Junior Board’ idea because I thought they can provide their opinions, which we need, and we can provide some education.”

Ambassadors in Community

Given the name of the Council, will these students be acting as Ambassadors publicly in any way for the credit union? 

“They sure will,” answered Hewitt-Channell. “We will be opening up our volunteer and events schedule for them to participate. Volunteer hours are great for community service outreach on resumes and applications and we have events that we can invite them to if they have more interest in the FI field. We also want them to discuss our credit union with other students; pick their brains, get their thoughts and opinions, ,because the only way to promote engagement with the younger demographic is to listen and absorb what they have to say.”