Leadership Communities: Building communities that build leaders

AYALA Foundation, Inc., (AFI) in partnership with Active Aid Partnerships (AAP), officially launched its latest youth leadership development program last November 3, 2011 with partners and members of the academe present. 

Inspired by the impact of the annual Ayala Young Leaders Congress (AYLC), which for the past 13 years has been bringing together the country’s most promising student leaders, AFI has developed the Leadership Communities (LeadCom) program to inspire and develop an even greater number of servant leaders all over the Philippines.

“The roots of LeadComs started back when we were preparing for AYLC’s 10^th congress back in 2007, we reflected on the impact we wanted to make and asked what more we can do. Are we doing enough to create this critical mass of leaders that can lead to a tipping point?” said AYLC Program Director John Philip Orbeta.

Taking on the challenge of developing more young leaders, LeadCom aims to develop the capacity of colleges and universities to nurture the leadership skills of their students and the youth in their localities.

“We believe that every person can develop his or her leadership skills. We look to your institution as the country’s best hope for developing the leadership skills of our children and youth. The many years they spend within your walls give you the perfect opportunity to give them the skills, the tools of leadership as well as the values and the moral moorings to use their leadership potential in the service of others. We would like to see our educational institutions take on the challenge of developing our youth, not just for academic excellence but for servant leadership as well,” said Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, chairman and chief executive officer of Ayala Corporation, addressing school officials.

Working with 5 to 10 partner colleges and universities in a chosen province, the program’s goal over a 12-month period is to form a community and network among these schools to champion youth leadership development and to equip them with the skills and competencies to develop servant leaders on a regular and sustained basis.

The program begins by putting together a core group of school representatives who would build synergy and cooperation among their schools and other local partners. Under AFI’s guidance, the partner schools jointly organize a three-day student leadership camp for 100 college students.

Drawing inspiration from the AYLC, this leadership camp becomes a venue for young leaders to interact with each other, learn leadership values, and hone their skills to help them become positive agents of change in their schools, communities and society.

Aside from working with partner schools, what makes the program unique is that LeadCom partner schools are then asked to implement a LeadCom-inspired leadership program in their schools, thus multiplying its impact and reach.

“Through LeadCom, our dream is to unlock this potential and create a spark that would eventually kindle the fire for service and leadership in the hearts of more young people in your area,” shared Orbeta.

Prior to its launch, two LeadCom areas have been piloted in the provinces of Catanduanes and Oriental Mindoro, and both areas have seen much progress and success.

 In Catanduanes, seven partner schools have already set up their facilitators network and begun conducting leadership trainings in their respective schools using a unified leadership development module they themselves created.

 At the same time in Oriental Mindoro, using seed funds provided by AAP, the delegates to the LeadCom camp have been implementing various entrepreneurial and service programs in their communities.

After having taken keen interest in the Philippines and developing young Filipino leaders, Active Aid Partnerships’ support to the program will make it possible to bring LeadCom to 12 areas in the country over the next to year.

With 12 LeadCom areas for the next two years, the program will implement its first six areas in the provinces of Benguet, Isabela, Capis, Samar, Cagayan de Oro, and Davao, while the remaining six areas will be underway in 2013.

As more LeadCom areas are being developed all over the country in the next two years, the vision behind the program is to see a country that is lead by servant leaders who are all over the Philippines. With the LeadCom program at the help of developing young leaders, that vision may soon become into reality. 

OMYLC: Leadership with an ‘Oh, my!’ twist

 IT was a leadership camp that made you exclaim “Oh, my!”

“Iba talaga siya sa mga series of leadership trainings na napuntahan ko. Totally bago siya,” explained camper Michael Angelo Matchimura, 18, of the City College of Calapan.

“Masaya siya, sobra. We learned a lot. And what’s so great about it, it is a province wide camp. We have new friends, new learning and insights, and everything is new,” he added.

Michael was just one of the 92 campers of the first ever Oriental Mindoro Young Leaders Camp (OMYLC) run last April 9 to 11, 2011 at the San Augustine Seminary in Oriental Mindoro.

The OMYLC is the product of the Leadership Communities (LeadCom) Program – Oriental Mindoro, a multi-stakeholder program developed by Ayala Foundation, Inc. Under this program, partner schools form a “Leadership Community” that will champion youth leadership development in its area.

LeadCom’s primary goal is to organize and conduct a 3-day leadership congress for student leaders of its partner schools. The leadership congress provides students a venue to interact, learn leadership values, and hone their skills to help become positive agents of change in their respective communities.

Partner schools of LeadCom Oriental Mindoro are Ark of the Covenant Montessori Chamber of Learning, City College of Calapan, Divine Word College of Calapan, Luna Goco Colleges, Inc., Mindoro State College of Agriculture and Technology (MinSCAT) – Bongabong Campus, MinSCAT – Calapan City Campus, MinSCAT – Main Campus, Prince of Peace College, St. Anthony College, and St. Augustine Seminary.

“I have new learnings with me, like how important it is to build trust. And I carry with me the five values we have as one whole group, faith in God and others, respect, unity, excellence as a leader, and loving service,” said Mary Grace Malbog of the Mindoro State College of Agriculture and Technology – Calapan City.

Likewise partnering in LeadCom – Oriental Mindoro is the Active Aid Partnership (AAP), a newly established Non-Government Organization from Denmark. AAP has actively extended its aid to the LeadCom program, as the program follows the organization’s thrust of supporting empowerment and development projects among children and young people.

“I got a feeling that they (delegates) did a lot of reflecting for the past three days. They seemed to have gained a lot, they’ve built trust. It’s actually quite amazing to see what they’ve learned,” shared Rolf Andersen of AAP.

“The excitement we had for this just exploded over the past three days. This has definitely been something,” he added.

  

For the 92 campers, the leadership camp was an unforgettable experience that nobody would easily forget. Designed to hone their leadership capacities and offer a greater sense of self-awareness, the camp offered various outdoor activities, plenary discussions, and small group activities that fostered to an environment of reflection and learning.

The delegates were likewise introduced to the servant leadership framework, the underlying leadership framework followed by the LeadCom Program. Servant-leadership’s main concept is that the leader is servant first. Simon Mossesgeld, Congress Director of the Ayala Young Leaders Congress guided the delegates through the journey of becoming a servant leader. 

“We pretty much know of leadership – everything there is about it theoretically. But here, we are given the chance to apply servant leadership in everything we do,” shared Matchimura.

This is the second run of the LeadCom program, with its first run in Catanduanes in the Bicol region in October 2010, staging the “1^st Catanduanes Student Leaders Congress for 79 student leaders from seven partner schools.

The LeadCom program draws inspiration from the annual Ayala Young Leaders Congress (AYLC), and was developed to provide an opportunity for a greater number of young leaders to grow and improve their leadership capacities. This is in response to the challenge posed by Ayala Corporation’s Chairman Emeritus Jaime Zobel de Ayala to provide student leaders who do not get to take part in AYLC, but are no less outstanding in their own right, a leadership development program inspired by the Congress.

“The vision is to see a country that is lead by servant leaders. And that’s the purpose of LeadCom, to offer a steady supply of these servant leaders,” said Mario A. Deriquito, senior director of Ayala Foundation, Inc.

In the long run, the program envisions that the established Leadership Community in Oriental Mindoro will carry on with the mission of youth leadership development on a regular and sustained basis.

OMYLC: Oh, my! An experience of a lifetime

It’s has definitely been an ‘Oh, my! 'experience for most. 

Three days of learning, insights, leadership stories, tears and laughter, outdoor activities, and a fun and wet adventure that nobody will forget all too soon and make one go ‘Oh, my!.’ 

For 91 young student leaders of Oriental Mindoro, the 1st Oriental Mindoro Young Leaders Camp (OMYLC) would just be the beginning of the leadership journey that they will venture on. 

OMYLC officially opened last April 9, with 91 student leaders from 10 universities located all over Oriental Mindoro, as part of Ayala Foundation, Inc.’s Leadership Communities (LeadCom) Program in the area. Under the program, partner schools form a “Leadership Community” that will champion youth leadership development in its area. 

LeadCom’s primary goal is to organize and conduct a 3-day leadership congress for student leaders of its partner schools. The leadership congress provides students a venue to interact, learn leadership values, and hone their skills to help become positive agents of change in their respective communities. 

Thus, the OMYLC. 

Partner schools of LeadCom Oriental Mindoro are Ark of the Covenant Montessori Chamber of Learning, City College of Calapan, Divine Word College of Calapan, Luna Goco Colleges, Inc., Mindoro State College of Agriculture and Technology (MinSCAT) – Bongabong Campus, MinSCAT – Calapan City Campus, MinSCAT – Main Campus, Prince of Peace College, St. Anthony College, and St. Augustine Seminary. 

“The vision is to see a country that is lead by servant leaders. And that’s the purpose of LeadCom, to offer a steady supply of these servant leaders,” said Mario A. Deriquito, senior director of Ayala Foundation, Inc. 

Partners of the program are Active Aid Partnerships (AAP), a newly formed non-government organization based in Denmark. After continuously supporting empowerment and development projects for children and young people, AAP has now extended its assistance in running the LeadCom program in Oriental Mindoro. 

“A large part of leadership is not about talking about it, it’s about doing it,” shared Rolf Andersen of AAP during the grand opening of the OMYLC. 

With their firm belief in the youth and their great potential, AAP has likewise offered to provide small grants to fund future projects of some delegates of the 1st OMYLC. 

The delegates were likewise introduced to the servant leadership framework, the underlying leadership framework followed by the LeadCom Program. Servant-leadership’s main concept is that the leader is servant first. Simon Mossessgeld, Congress Director of the Ayala Young Leaders Congress guided the delegates through the journey of becoming a servant leader. 

Though day two was physically taxing, it was an enriching experience to the delegates. 

The morning session was filled with a deep discussion of leadership and our passions through the multi-sectoral youth panel of young leaders of Oriental Mindoro. 

“As a leader, you should have the passion that drives you from within yourself,” noted Maila P. Saab, ordained pastor of the International Strategic Alliance of Apostolic Churches. 

While having found her true calling in the religious sector as a pastor for the past 10 years, Saab likewise finds her passion in training students for oratorical competitions all across the country. 

Likewise joining the panel was Madonna Virola, a freelance journalist for the past six years and correspondent to the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Virola was a thriving student leader and youth volunteer, supporting human rights and community development. 

The trio was also joined by Orlando Tizon of the provincial tourism office, who likewise shared his insights on leadership after having been an active youth leader during his time as well. 

“Do the things you think are right,” he encouraged the delegates. 

Rounding up the panel of four was Jon-jon Sarmiento, a community organizer and strong environment activist. He is the main convener of the Preservation of Naujan Lake National Park. Having been in the development sector for more than 20 years and driving communities towards development, Sarmiento shared his own insights on leadership. 

In the afternoon, the delegates found themselves hurdling a series of team initiative activities, the 91 student leaders found themselves climbing over nuclear fences in the woods, making their way through a maze with no verbal communication, and transporting toxic waste through the woods with no sense of sights and landmines littered all around the forest grounds. 

Things got chaotic and wet as the group took on the Chaos challenge and tried to fill up the punctured drums as a team. 

Topping the day with a boodle fight and a fellowship night, the young leaders showed off their talents in singing and dancing and enjoyed each others company. 

And while day three may have marked the end of the camp, it likewise stood for the beginning of something greater for the young student leaders of Oriental Mindoro. 

Together as one big group, the 91 student leaders came up with their community vision for Oriental Mindoro and the LeadCom Program of Oriental Mindoro. 

As one Leadership Community of Oriental Mindoro these 91 delegates of the first ever OMYLC will positively contribute to the development of province and likewise impact a positive change to their respective communities. And furthermore, it will supply more servant leaders to this country. 

Building Communities: The Catanduanes Story

For 79 student leaders of Catanduanes, this was just one leadership lesson of the many they have learned in the 1^st Catanduanes Student Leaders Congress (CSLC) last October 18 to 20. The CSLC is a product of the Leadership Communities (LeadCom) Program of Ayala Foundation, Inc.

For the 1^st CSLC under the LeadCom program, student leaders from seven universities and colleges in Catanduanes came together for a three-day leadership experience, which included talks, group discussions, reflection activities, and experiential learning challenges.

LeadCom aims to develop, inspire, empower, and nurture the leadership of young Filipinos and promote servant leadership values to student leaders in various parts of the country. The LeadCom program draws inspiration from the annual Ayala Young Leaders Congress (AYLC), and was developed to provide an opportunity for a greater number of young leaders to improve their leadership capacities.

With three days of life enriching activities, student leaders shared their life and leadership stories, and gained a new perspective from their peers. In an unforgettable leadership journey, participants took part in challenges designed to bring about a greater sense of self-awareness and leadership, and established stronger values of trust, teamwork, effective communication, and collaboration.

“I have attended several leadership camps before, but this one isdifferent. Bumaon talaga sa puso ang mga realizations ko. The congress made me realize na marami pa ako dapat matutunan about myself and howto be an effective servant leader,” shared Emlyn Graciela Lanon ofCatanduanes State Colleges.

The congress was highlighted by the presence of Commission onElections Commissioner Rene V. Sarmiento as keynote speaker. A native from Catanduanes, Sarmiento talked about servant leadership and shared his personal leadership story. He likewise challenged the student leaders towork together and tocommit themselves in improving their communities, specifically, their home province of Catanduanes.

Volunteer facilitators from the seven LeadCom partner schoolsand the Ayala Young Leaders Alliance served as mentors tothe participants. The facilitators guided the delegates’ learning and ensured that they were able to get the most out of the experience by challenging them to go beyond their comfort zones and explore other areas of leadership and personal growth.“I readily volunteered to become a facilitator as my way of paying it forward to AYLC and to my fellow Bicolanos. Having witnessed and taken part in this endeavor, I can say that the experience truly touched the hearts of the students and the administrators of our partner schools,where passion of community development and collaboration could now easily flow,” said Franco Allan Jimena, AYLC alumnus.

“Seeing all of them working together is a foresight of how Catanduanes can easily hurdle whatever challenges that may come their way,” he added.

Choosing Catanduanes

Catanduanes is an island province in the Bicol region. Because of its location, which makes it prone to typhoons and travel difficult, leadership development programs in the province are rare.

This caught the attention of Ayala Corporation’s Chairman Emeritus Jaime Zobel de Ayala, who posed a challenge during the 12^th AYLC for Ayala to reach out to a greater number of youth leaders. In response, Ayala Foundation Inc.’s Youth Leadership Development Unit met with Catanduanes’ school and government officials.LeadComm Catanduanes brought together 7 partner schools, namely: Catanduanes State Colleges (Main Campus and Panganiban campus), Catanduanes Computer Learning Center Inc., Hauswirtchaft Training Institute, TESDA-CSHCI-Cabugao, Bato, Catanduanes, Christian Polytechnic Institute of Catanduanes Inc., Catanduanes School of Advance Technology, Catanduanes Institute of Technology Foundation Inc.

In partnership with Ayala Foundation, Inc., the seven partner schools along with the Provincial Government of Catanduanes established a local LeadCom Organizing Committee that oversaw the local mobilization of resources and selection of participants. Gintong Pamana Awards Foundation, Inc. likewise extended their support in the 1^st CSLC.

Ayala’s Belief in the Youth

For the past years, Ayala has been at the forefront in efforts of developing the leadership of the Filipino youth through its flagship program, the Ayala Young Leaders Congress. It annually brings together 80 of the most outstanding student leaders from across the country for a leadership congress.

“Because of AYLC, we have been able to bring a community of passionate young leaders together who are committed to national development. We hope to see the same community of leaders take root in Catanduanes and in other areas of our country…we continue to believe in the leadership of the Filipino youth and in their energies and spirit to make change happen in the country,” said John Philip Orbeta, AYLC Program director.Ayala Foundation’s Senior Director for Education and Leadership Development Mario A. Deriquito added that through the LeadCom program, Ayala continues its commitment in nurturing young leaders.

“Ayala hopes to expand [its] work in the area of youth leadership development and make quality leadership development programs available for more student leaders, especially in areas that have very little access or opportunities for such programs,” he said.

“Our dream is to help form more servant leaders who will dedicate themselves to leading their local communities and eventually, larger sectors of society,” said Simon C. Mossesgeld, AYLC Congress Director. “We are seeing this happen among our AYLC alumni, a number of whom already have leadership roles and responsibilities that impact a broad area of society. Likewise, our wish is for these young leaders from the 1^st CSLC and future LeadCom Programs to become more effective servant leaders themselves and help form other leaders who will also use their leadership to improve the lives of others,”

A Community of Leaders and Believers

Leadership is not just for an elite few; it is a responsi