Employment Inclusion Policies and Evidence-Based Policy: Incorporating “Qualitative Significance” Into a Mixed-Methods Study Protocol

Abstract

Despite the advice given in evidence-based policy guidelines, intervention programmes incorporating effectiveness assessments are still rare in the Spanish context. To emphasise the potential of qualitative data for impact assessment, this study presents a mixed-methods study protocol evaluating the impact of European Union intervention programmes aimed at improving employability for women at risk of poverty and social exclusion. The protocol for impact assessment is based on a randomised clinical trial of three intervention groups – women with assistance in the social and employment sphere; with healthcare assistance; or with a personalised plan combining both – and a control group, applying validated, standardised scales at three key points during a 12-month period. The protocol also incorporates qualitative techniques to gather thick descriptions of the participants experiences. This proposal underscores the importance of producing qualitative empirical materials – not just as a complementary feature or to illustrate statistical results, but because they allow breaking traditional paradigms and incorporating “qualitative significance” as a tool for effectiveness assessment. The impact assessment of interventions is presented in terms of numerical correlations as well as findings derived from the processes of understanding embedded in the participants’ life narratives.