What is the Ateneo Overseas Filipinos’ Leadership,Innovation, Financial Literacy and Social Entrepreneurship (formerly known as Ateneo Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship (ALSE) Program)?

The OF-LIFE/ALSE is an empowerment program targeting overseas Filipinos (OFs), mostly working in ‘3 D’ types of jobs: (difficult, demeaning, de-skilling or dangerous.) The program aims to transform their mindsets particularly for the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families and provide them with basic skills on Leadership, Social Innovation, Financial Literacy, and Social Entrepreneurship.

The program is a certificate course as part of the Executive Education Program of the Ateneo School of Government (ASoG) and all graduates are recognized as alumni of the Ateneo de Manila University. It is a 12 session (10 face-to face and two online sessions) program over six months with three modules as described below.

The OF-LIFE/ALSE has been offered in Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands in Europe; in the Middle East in Doha, Qatar and in the UAE ( Abu Dhabi and Dubai). In  Asia, it has been offered in Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines as well as in Hong Kong and Macau and in Japan. Over 3,000 Overseas Filipinos are alumni of  this program in its decade of existence.

MODULE 1: LEADERSHIP

Session 1: Overview of the Program, Migration and Development, Personhood:    Introduction to the Ateneo LSE Program: To understand the vision, objectives, mechanics, approaches and requirements of the ALSE Program, especially the values.  Migration and Development and Implications for OFs and Their Families and to obtain a framework for understanding migration, its history and its implications for development (particularly in the Philippines). Introduction to  increased awareness of self as a holistic/integral person.

Session 2: Relating With Others : Appreciative Inquiry: Appreciative Inquiry  (AI) Framework and Principles and Tools of AI: workshops, group dynamics, dyads, small group discussion.      

Session 3: Living in Community: Introduction to Living in Community, to increase awareness of the dynamics of human relationships; Communication and Community to enhance the understanding of communication and its role in building harmonious relationships and to use positive communication strategies; Conflicts in Community; Person in Community – Synthesis.     

Session 4:  Servant Leadership and Good Governance: Servant Leadership and transformational leadership; understanding of the qualities of  servant leaders;   building skills towards developing effective social leaders; Good Governance, social accountability and participatory decision-making.

MODULE 2: FINANCIAL LITERACY

Session 1:  Introduction to Personal Financial Management            To learn key areas and concepts of personal financial management that are essential for financial security and independence :Stages of the Migration Process, Importance of Personal Finance, Setting Financial Goals, Managing Expenditure; Crafting a Savings Plan, Debt Management, Insurance, Tips on How to Succeed Financially.

Session 2 (Online): Self-Assessment and Financial Goals     •To undertake exercises  on setting financial goals and develop realistic ways to achieve these goals while living and working abroad. to know how to fill up income, asset and liability statements to understand income and wealth situation. Stages of migration process  and personal finance; Balance Sheet and Income Statement;               Financial Goals (Retirement / Reintegration Plan).   

Session 3 (Online): Budgeting, Savings, Debt Management    To undertake (online) exercises on how to budget and manage expenses, pay off debts and come up with realistic savings plan; Budgeting and Managing Expenditure, Savings Plan, Debt Management.    

Session 4: Impact Investments:  possible investment instruments which migrants can use to invest their savings including the case for cooperatives; To know how to sustain these savings and investments in the long-term for their return and reintegration; Opportunity Recognition; Investment Vehicles (Types and How To’s); Traditional vs Social Investments; Sustaining Your Personal Financial Gains          .

MODULE 3: SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Session 1: Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurship. Concept of Social   Entrepreneurship, examples of SE: global, regional,  Philippines; Motivation and Characteristics of Social Entrepreneurs, Identification and Understanding of Social Issues; Opportunity Recognition and Creative Thinking; Challenge and Opportunity.            

Session 2:  Ten Elements of a Social Enterprise Business Plan: To learn the ten basic elements and in turn use these learnings in preparing a business plan, focusing on the identification of the problem and opportunity, theory of change, mission, business strategy and human resources.

Session 3: Elaboration on the nine elements of the Business Model Canvas:  analysis of  the value proposition and  understand the elements of the social enterprise with  discussion on the revenue and costs  of the plan.

Session 4: Financial Planning and Integration:  10 steps in financial planning as well as the key learnings from the various modules/sessions to prepare for the BP presentation.