Enhancing Outreach for the Financially Underserved in Mutuals

We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Emma Norledge, Deputy CEO at Wave Community Bank, as she joined us as a speaker on the FTT Mutuals stage this past November. Emma shared some insights into the strategies Wave Community Bank has implemented to serve the financially underserved.

Emma notes that an important step in helping address the needs of the underserved is through an improved digital offering. She points to some significant improvements at Wave Community Bank and across the credit union sector in that regard over the past 5 years. That being said, she also pointed to the importance of face-to-face outreach and fostering relationships across the third sector given it is a fertile source of clients and new members.

Wave Community Bank has created initiated some successful and impactful projects, such as introducing a Financial Well-Being Support Officer at a local NHS trust, positively affecting the lives of 500 staff members. Providing on the spot support and education on the available options when it comes to financial services has proven incredibly transformational for those that may not have otherwise had easy access to the information provided.  This is an important reminder that not all improvements are digital and, instead, as in this case, are based on understanding the needs of members.

Eager to discover Emma’s key takeaways from her session on “Serving the Financially Underserved”? Don’t miss this short interview that captures her insights!

Want to learn more about digital transformation and it’s impact on financial services more broadly? Join us at FTT Lending taking place on 19th March in London. Engage in lively discussions tackling the key opportunities and challenges lenders and borrowers face today.

Are you passionate about the mutual sector? Get in touch with us as we start working on the trends and technologies shaping the future of the sector at the 2025 edition of FTT Mutuals.