IN STEP: "INVESTMENTS: A RESOURCE TO REACH THE AMERICAN DREAM"

At its national office in Washington, DC, the ASPIRA Association recently announced that it was rolling out a model Investment program for the Latino work force. The goal of the initiative is provide financial education as well as investment development for Latinos and their families. ASPIRA of Connecticut plans to launch the Investment program in early 2009 as a response to the low percentage of Latinos with investment accounts and/or employed in the investments industry. ASPIRA plans to offer the new program in Bridgeport, Torrington, and Danbury.

Latinos are the largest, youngest, and fastest growing minority group in the nation. With more than 44 million (including Puerto Rico), Latinos are the second largest segment of the U.S. labor force. Business leaders throughout the country have begun to notice that Latinos, once regarded as having lower incomes, are fast becoming the nation’s largest population segment with the extraordinary potential of also becoming one of its most affluent. Our community has tremendous spending power and is marked by its diversity and youth. Its work ethic, combined with its sheer numbers, means Latinos could have the power to influence the entire U.S. economy in the coming years.
The ASPIRA program, "Investments: A Resource to Reach the American Dream", consist of a 7 module curriculum, designed to introduce the idea of investing, investment types and strategies, and investment evaluation techniques, will be open to Latinos between 20-40 years old. It is the ASPIRA’s belief that in order to reach the full potential of our collective capabilities, we need to become more knowledgeable in managing our finances and increase our entrepreneurship abilities.

The program’s instructors will have a financial background and be trained with an Internet-based train-the-trainer program specifically designed for the curriculum. The 8 week course will be taught in a bilingual format (English and Spanish) on Saturday mornings – location to be announced later. Seating, however, will be limited to 15 participants per session. The only cost to participants is $25 for the course materials.

The program was developed to introduce Latinos to the world of investing. The information included is meant to teach and guide them; to start them off on the right track. It is neither a comprehensive training program nor a highly technical training. It is the beginning of a journey. The modules will help participants not only establish some of the first steps for reaching their financial goals through investing but offer educational, enriching and empowering content to our nation's fastest growing ethnic group.

The program will include: Introduction to Investing, Introduction to Investment Options, Risk and Allocations, Investing in the Future of Your Children: Their Education, Investing For Your Best Years: Retirement, Short-Term and Long-Term Investments Options, Are Your Investments Working The Way You Expected? Investment Industry Regulators and Investment Protection, and Investments Program Evaluation and Forms.