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Social enterprise is experiencing a meteoric rise in interest and relevance in the Philippines and the rest of the world. It is an entirely new way of working, a way of creating a new sort of wealth and most of all, a way of changing people and the world. It is not an easy route and the conflicts between social goals and business, values and democratic working call for innovative approaches to planning, governing, selling and managing. The training aims to equip budding social entrepreneurs with information on getting started on their social enterprise venture by providing tips on business strategies and planning, marketing and communications including using new media in establishing networks plus raising finance.

 

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1. How to Start a Social Enterprise
2. Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship
3. Social Performance Management for Social Enterprises
4. Strategic Planning for Social Enterprises
5. Financial Planning for Social Enterprises

Various development projects rely on partnerships and support from other organizations, whether it be from the government, private sector, non-government organizations or international organizations. To make these partnerships happen, organizations are often required to submit proposals which undergo competitive screening. As such, proposals have to be well-written, with program designs and project details carefully planned and thought of. This course discusses the determining factors that set apart winning program designs and project proposals from the rest. The different kinds of development programs will be presented to help the organization choose which approach is most suited for the organization’s needs. The course also teaches technical writing guidelines and standard formats for project proposals, along with sample proposals and writing workshops. At the end of the training, participants are expected to understand the basics of proposal writing, and to be able to craft their own proposals and presentations.

The training of trainers course supports knowledge and skills transfer for the staff and trainers of organizations to be able to conduct trainings on their own. The course discusses the key principles and practices of adult learning and the characteristics of a good learning environment. The training approach teaches practical skills such as speaking effectively to groups, facilitating discussions and groupworks, responding to questions, and giving and receiving feedback. Participants will be given a chance to practice their communication skills through workshops and sample training sessions. They will also be given trainer guides to help them craft their own training programs or revise existing training programs for local adaptation.

There is a natural strategic link between microfinance and remittances. Research data show that 40% of total remittances go to the rural areas where MFIs are present. However, most MFIs fail to recognize the opportunity in remittances as one of the means to achieve financial sustainability and social mission. Remittances as a fee-based product offer the opportunity to MFIs to achieve financial goals. At the same time, money from poor migrants in host countries send remittances to even poorer households in their countries of origin. MFIs could offer remittance receivers the opportunity to leverage remittances with pro-poor financial products, thus achieving their social mission. The course will present different remittance operations models where MFIs could participate. It will outline the advantages and disadvantages of the different remittance operations models as well as tools on how to negotiate with money transfer operators. The course will also provide guidelines for microfinance institutions on how to develop pro-poor financial products that are linked to remittances.

Middle managers play a crucial role in microfinance since they could be considered as the backbone of the microfinance institutions (MFIs). The middle management is the point where microfinance’s lofty mission must be translated into a sustainable and scalable operation. The middle managers are often poorly equipped to deal with this challenge. The course is designed to provide microfinance managers with a holistic understanding of various areas involved in managing microfinance operations. Participants are expected to gain practical knowledge and skills for effective delivery of microfinance products and services. The course covers topics such as management and leadership roles, the role and dynamics of teams, conflict resolution, assessment of microfinance operations, customer services, review of strategic plan, and review of skills needed to be an effective manager. The training approach includes workshops especially designed to assist microfinance managers in handling the various operational issues that they face such as delinquency, financial performance monitoring, human resource issues, and strategic plan issues.

A subsector is the network of firms that supply raw materials, transform them and distribute finished goods to a particular consumer market. The subsector approach training recognizes that small firms operate within a larger production and distribution system, and that it is not possible to look at small firms alone. This course examines large firms that compete with micro and small enterprises (MSEs), supply inputs and market small-firm output. It aims to help MSEs survive in a highly competitive and fast-changing business environment. Among the topics covered are microenterprise development, subsector analysis, subsector selection, subsector mapping, value chains, interventions and commercially viable solutions, and solution providers.

The course on strengthening internal control and effective management information system provides guidelines for establishing operational activities that assist the MFI in identifying vulnerabilities, designing and implementing controls and monitoring the effectiveness of controls. The strengthening of internal control is linked with the MFI management information system. It also highlights problem resolution as a means for risk management and internal control. Topics to be discussed include understanding management information system and the importance of microfinance reports. Finally, the difference between internal control and internal audit will be discussed and how these will be implemented and facilitated in different organizations.