Two years ago, a group of young people who dubbed themselves theCrash Network pushed their way onto the credit union scene atCUNA's GAC conference.

What started out as an experiment for those under 35 to becomemore engaged with the industry and making their voices heard hasnow evolved into the newly rebranded the Cooperative Trust.

“Crash was about showing up and gaining access, in whatever waywe could, to the wealth of wisdom and growth opportunities in themovement. There was a lot more separation between youth andveterans in the industry. Now those boundaries, while not gone, arebeginning to crack,” said Brent Dixon, who founded the Crash Network and serves as youngadult adviser with the Filene Research Institute.

“The Cooperative Trust is about being change agents interwoveninto the system. Working collectively as youth, tapping into thewisdom of veterans, and fully staking claim to the credit unionmovement because the reins will be in our hands in a few shortyears,” Dixon said.

Dixon's brainchild has become a community of more than 290members working on 50 different projects, all geared toward helpingcredit unions deliver unique solutions to common challenges.

In 2011, the network not only developed and implementedmentorship programs and partnered with the California, Nevada,Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania credit unionleagues to provide an event at their annual meetings but alsosparked spinoffs of young professional developmentorganizations.

In addition, the group teamed up with the Filene ResearchInstitute to launch The Collider, a 13-week competition designed tohelp credit unions increase the availability of affordable homeownership. In keeping with its ideas-into-action credo, the winningidea would get a boost into the marketplace with an assist fromFilene's implementation team.

Robert Christiansen of Servus Credit Union in Edmonton, Albertatook top honors with his credit union home buyer's plan, whichoffers matching incentives on member-contributed savings as a wayto help members save for a down payment. The credit union wouldmake an annual matching contribution on member-contributed savingsevery year over the life of the plan.

“It's one of those things that went from this organic accidentof a few people showing up at events, to now this group makingthings and actually creating real change in their organizations andacross the industry,” said Dixon. “It's something we aspired to andyet the reality of it has been nothing we could've evenimagined.”

Crediting the community, he added that it's been the members'passion and drive that has helped the shift in perception of youngcredit union professionals from a marginalized group into a truevoice of change for the movement that is not only heard butrespected.

He added that sparked the decision to take the network to thenext level, which was made possible thanks to a three-year titlesponsorship commitment from CUNA Mutual Group. The move will serveas seed funding to help The Cooperative Trust become completelyself-sustaining in three years.

“We've supported and mentored The CooperativeTrust since it began as the Crash Network in 2010,”said Bob Trunzo, chief operating officer, CUNA Mutual Group.“We recognized early on that the Crash Network had thepotential to truly make an impact in the credit union movement, sowe eagerly supported its growth and will continue to do so. TheCooperative Trust has the potential to make a real differencein the credit union communities it touches.”

Dixon added that the rebrand to Cooperative Trust will furtherreinforce the core of helping the next generation of credit unionprofessionals to learn, grow and develop by making it easier tocollaborate and share via new tools on its new site at trust.coop,which will launch later this month.

“Bottom line is we're building the website to make it easier toget ideas off the ground, provide feedback and help people connectwith each other to get things done,” said Dixon.

The site will also include a section for those interested inmentoring or being mentored. In addition, membership will be opento anyone under 35.

“The expectations of joining will still be high as far asaccountability and being an active member and we're looking intocharging a monthly fee as a way to sustain it once we hit a certainmember mark. We want to keep it cheap so it won't be a barrier toentry,” said Dixon.

“Really if you have that entrepreneurial spark and areinterested in collaborating then join,” he said. “We want peoplewho are active because to do this we build each other up. One ofthe main reasons we've grown into this new brand is that in thepast we might not have done as great a job communicating what'sgoing on in the community. So this is a way to show that we're moreabout making and getting things done through partnerships andprojects than finding a new way to score cheap tickets to creditunion events.”

So just what happens to members on their 36th birthday? Some maygraduate from the community and transition into other opportunitiesor roles and others may decide to sign up as mentors. Either way noone is given the boot. A family talk group has been created toensure The Cooperative Trust stays true to its core as it findsways to better manage, grow and nurture the community.

“I admit I was a bit worried about the reaction but everyone hasbeen so positive and jazzed about this next step,” said Dixon.“We're all just pretty excited about the future and some of the bigchanges this year with more focus on workshops and groupprojects.”