What is a Credit Union?
A Credit Union is an organisation which helps people to save and offers a range of savings accounts and other financial products. It is a little bit like a bank. The big difference though is that the Credit Union is owned by all of the people who use it. In a Credit Union customers are called members. 
Around the world, there are 177 million Credit Union members in 96 countries from Ireland to India, Poland to Peru. They range from small organisations with members in their hundreds to the world’s largest Credit Union, Navy Federal which has over 2.9 million members!
Here in the UK there are over 600 Credit Unions serving over 600,000 members and Scotwest is one of the biggest. If you live or attend school anywhere in the West of Scotland you can open one of our junior savings accounts.
When you turn 16 you will be able to apply to become a full Scotwest member. This will make you one of the owners of the Credit Union. Until then we welcome you as a Junior member. | 
