Smarty Youth Leaders Club from AffinityPlus Credit Union Barbados

The AffinityPlus Credit Union’s SMARTYouth Leader's Club (SYLC) has been created for senior students and young adults between the ages of 16 to 25.

As a credit union of choice who cares about our members at every stage of their life, we want to help our young members best navigate the world of finance and credit unionism, as well as develop valuable key life skills, so they can best leverage opportunities, and lead successful and productive lives.

Why Join?

SYLC is free for all and provides opportunities for educational forums, networking as well as greater youth engagement and feedback. This will allow club members to:

Improve their financial literacy and build their financial skills
Discuss and provide more context on financial topics important to them
Collaborate and share new ideas that can enhance the Credit Union and influence new products that can help other young members
Develop leadership, entrepreneurial and other valuable life skills
Become active participants and volunteers in our Credit Union

Who Can Join?

Any young person between the ages of 16 to 25 can sign up to be part of SYLC. Club members are invited to refer other individuals to the SYLC program. To sign up complete our membership form.

Meet Our President & Vice-President

President

My name is Shakeem Howell, and from the moment I stepped into the Credit Union at 15 years old as a young member, my journey has been rooted in community care, purpose, and giving back. What started as simple participation has grown into responsibility, and now into a clear vision for the future.

As President, my focus is clear: to strengthen our foundation through better structure, expand opportunities for capacity building, and deliver real value to our members. By fostering stronger connections between people, ideas, and opportunities, I am committed to building a Credit Union that empowers every member to grow, contribute, and lead.

Vice-President

My name is Aliyah Sampson, and the SMARTYouth Leaders Club has given me more than just membership. It has shaped how I see growth, opportunity, and the value of being in the right environment. It has also made one thing clear to me: potential alone is not enough, it needs support, exposure, and real opportunities to grow.

As Vice President, I want to be part of creating those opportunities. I want every member to feel equipped, confident, and ready to step forward when those moments come.