Realistic evaluation of social inclusion

Abstract

This study introduces a mixed-method model for the realistic evaluation of programmes promoting the experience of social inclusion of people in disadvantaged positions. It combines qualitative and quantitative methods for exploring the context-mechanism-outcome- configurations of four cases consisting of development projects. Qualitative analyses depict the context-mechanism-outcome-configurations using participants’ interviews and small success stories as data. Quantitative analyses of a longitudinal survey including the Experiences of Social Inclusion Scale examine the context-mechanism-outcome-configurations in a larger group of participants and re-test the qualitative findings. Thus, they help to overcome the positive selection bias of the small success stories. The mixed-method approach is fruitful especially because the qualitative and the quantitative analyses amend each other’s shortcomings. In the promotion of social inclusion, it is important to help people to see themselves as active agents and allow them to connect to larger social domains.