Empowering Irish credit union members and communities with CPD-accredited financialliteracy training
Alison, the world's leading free online learning platform, today announced the launch of an upcoming series of Financial Literacy courses in partnership with Loughrea’s Naomh Breandan Credit Union and Dublin 8’s Donore Credit Union, the not-for-profit collaboration of Irish credit unions. These courses are designed to provide free, accessible, and CPD-accredited financial education to credit union members and the wider Irish community. The initiative reinforces the credit union movement’s core mission of community well-being and financial inclusion.
The initial offering, to launch in early 2026, will include 4 topics:
Phishing & Scam Awareness
Credit & Debit Management
Budgeting & Cash Management
Saving, Investing and Financial Goal Setting
This groundbreaking collaboration supports the growing national demand for financial education, aligning with Ireland’s recently announced National Financial Literacy Strategy 2025–2029. The courses will decrease the financial knowledge gap by providing accessible, self-paced, and professionally certified financial skills courses online—completely free of charge.
Credit Unions Champion UN SDGs with Free Financial Literacy Initiative
The effort also serves to advance the Credit Union Ambassadorship for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By reducing financial stress, boosting confidence in decision-making, and tailoring content to reach disadvantaged groups, the initiative promotes equality, economic independence, and inclusion. It also equips people with the knowledge to manage money, avoid debt, and plan for the future, driving stronger savings, entrepreneurship, and innovation while fostering healthier, more resilient communities.
Beyond improving individual lives, the project vision for 2026 and beyond supports broader sustainability goals by helping households and businesses make informed decisions about housing, investment, and climate-conscious choices, such as green retrofitting and renewable energy. Alison and the Credit Union partners are committed to embedding the SDGs into this work, advocating for sustainable development, promoting collaboration between communities, government, and businesses, and serving as a model of how organisations can meaningfully contribute to Ireland’s long-term equality, resilience, and economic stability.
Strengthening Irish credit union members with free financial skills
The new Financial Literacy Course Series is a direct result of the social missions of Naomh Breandan and Donore Credit Unions to work together for shared and sustainable success. By combining Alison's expertise in global digital education with the deep community roots of these two established credit unions, this partnership aims to bridge the financial knowledge gap for individuals and households across the country. The collaboration will create trusted, self-paced learning resources which empower users to build financial skills in areas like budgeting, saving, and scam awareness.
For credit union members, this hub offers a significant new benefit that enhances the value of their membership. The free financial literacy courses not only support personal financial well-being but also reinforce each credit union’s role as a trusted financial partner in their community.
A collaboration for financial inclusion and community upskilling
This strategic partnership is a clear example of how collaboration can drive positive social change. By creating shared digital resources, the initiative enables both Naomh Breandan and Donore Credit Unions to deliver both financial literacy training for members and communities. The project sets a powerful precedent for how a collective approach can be used to deliver impactful, scalable solutions that benefit the entire community.
“Alison and Ireland’s Credit Unions are aligning to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals by delivering trusted financial education that empowers citizens and communities,"said Mike Feerick, Founder and CEO of Alison. "Credit Unions are among the most trusted institutions in Ireland — together with Alison, we can turn that trust into life-changing financial literacy for every community member.”
David McAuley, CEO of Donore Credit Union, stated: “At Donore Credit Union, we are proud to collaborate on this important initiative. Our mission has always gone beyond providing financial services; it’s about creating real social value for our community. In 2020, we led the first Social Return on Investment Study in the Irish credit union movement to show the positive impact of our work in the community. Partnering on the development of financial literacy courses is a natural progression, ensuring we equip people with the knowledge and confidence to thrive financially.”
David McDonnell, CEO of Naomh Breandan Credit Union, added: “We are delighted to join forces on this project, which reflects our commitment to education, empowerment, and sustainable community development. Following our own Social Return on Investment Study, we’ve been focused on finding practical ways to build financial well-being and resilience across all age groups. These new financial literacy resources, set to roll out in early 2026, will help us continue that mission and provide lasting value for our members and the wider community.”
Naomh Breandan Credit Union, Donore Credit Union and Alison are committed to upskilling credit union members & communities and expanding the series in time, with plans to introduce new courses on topics such as sustainable investing, mortgage planning, and retirement later in 2026. The partners will also explore further collaborative initiatives to continue supporting the financial well-being of credit union members and the broader community. This project serves as a foundation for a long-term strategy to leverage digital innovation for social good, reinforcing the credit union movement's vital role in Ireland's financial landscape.
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About Donore Credit Union
Donore Credit Union, established in April 1958, is Ireland’s oldest credit union. It was founded after a meeting of Cumann Muintir Dun Oir (Donore Parishioner’s Union) in St Joseph’s Hall, Cork Street.
Over the decades, Donore CU has grown from a small mutual savings and loan society into a vital financial institution for Dublin 8 (The Liberties), with a strong membership base, diversified services, and a growing asset portfolio.
About Naomh Breandan Credit Union
Naomh Breandan Credit Union (Loughrea, Co. Galway) was founded in 1966 to serve the financial needs of people in its local community, especially when credit options from banks were limited. It operates as a financial cooperative fully owned and controlled by its members. Membership has grown significantly; the CU now serves close to 14,500 members, with expansion via a sub‑office in Woodford to serve neighbouring villages.
Naomh Breandan strives for financial wellbeing: its mission is “together we can build a better tomorrow for our community” and promote the financial health of its members by offering quality, accessible products and excellent service. It supports younger generations via scholarships (Donal Burke Memorial Scholarship), youth savings, Junior Savers Week, etc. It also promotes sustainability initiatives: home energy upgrade financing, green financing, and supporting community engagement in sustainability.
About Alison
Founded in 2007 as the world’s first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform, Alison has grown into the world’s largest free online empowerment provider, supporting over 45 million learners across 193 countries, as of July 15th, 2025. At the heart of Alison’s mission is a simple yet transformative belief: education is the key to personal freedom. Alison exists to break down the barriers that limit access to learning, empowering anyone, anywhere to gain skills, unlock opportunities and shape their own future - free from the constraints of cost, geography or circumstance.
Alison offers over 5,500 free, CPD-accredited courses in key areas such as business, IT, healthcare, sustainability, AI, and personal development. Our courses boast content from independent subject matter experts in addition to renowned industry leaders, including IBM, Stanford and Microsoft. The platform enables learners to gain job-ready skills precisely tailored to the needs of their local labour market. In addition to individual learning, Alison supports organisations with a Free LMS (Learning Management System), allowing businesses to deliver and manage in-house training at scale.
To support lifelong learning and career advancement, Alison also offers a Psychometric Testing Suite, an interactive Career Guide, and a user-friendly Resumé Builder. Learners can study flexibly with Offline Learning available through the Alison App, making it easier than ever to learn on the go.
Looking ahead, Alison is preparing to launch a recruitment service, designed to connect employers with skilled, motivated learners from around the world. The platform is also working to expand global accessibility through multilingual content, beginning with a full Spanish-language offering - reinforcing Alison’s commitment to education without borders.
Media Contact
For further information please contact the Alison Media Team at [email protected]
