Abstract
The importance of the spiritual dimension in the lives of people living in conditions of poverty and social exclusion and the often-critical role of faith-based organisations has gained increasing relevance in development research and practice. A growing line of research focuses on how to integrate the faith dimension into the evaluation of social programmes and on quantifying the effects of faith. The objective of this article is to propose a framework for integrating a spiritual dimension into the design and practice of impact evaluation by using the concept of integral human development (IHD). Integral human development emerged within the Catholic social tradition, but is not specific to it. It is a perspective on human development that integrates the material and spiritual, recognises the interdependence between humans and their environment or territory and demands change at both the individual and collective levels. This framework is then applied to the design of an impact evaluation of a faith-based programme that accompanies people with drug and alcohol addictions in Argentina. The article highlights the following characteristics of an integral impact evaluation: the interaction between multiple well-being dimensions; the use of knowledge and methods of analysis from multiple disciplines; the importance of understanding the diverse pathways to improvements in well-being; the assessment of the spiritual dimension through changes in one’s relationships with oneself, others and the environment; and the importance of assessing personal change within the context of social and community transformation.
Highlights
At the midday meal of a neighbourhood addiction attention centre of an Argentine faith-based organisation (FBO), Jorge,1 an 18-year-old young man, showed us proudly a picture of himself on his cell phone at age 16 at the height of his addiction to paco, or cocaine base paste.2 The picture showed an emaciated boy with his eyes looking downward and a cap trying to hide his face
Before examining further the implications of the integral human development (IHD) perspective for impact evaluation, we review the existing literature that seeks to integrate a spiritual dimension into impact evaluation
This article has sought to contribute to that literature by exploring how to incorporate a spiritual dimension into the evaluation of social programmes
Summary
At the midday meal of a neighbourhood addiction attention centre of an Argentine faith-based organisation (FBO), Jorge, an 18-year-old young man, showed us proudly a picture of himself on his cell phone at age 16 at the height of his addiction to paco, or cocaine base paste. The picture showed an emaciated boy with his eyes looking downward and a cap trying to hide his face. On the basis of the defining characteristics of IHD, their operationalisation through the capability approach and further insights which emerge from the Hogar de Cristo’s experience within the community, we derive the following components of an integral impact evaluation: (1) consideration of the whole person in the multiple dimensions of her life; (2) integration of perspectives and methods from different disciplines; (3) recognition of human diversity and multiple pathways to life improvement; (4) significance of relations to self, others and the territory as part of our relation to God; and (5) importance of dialogue and communal change. Relevant questions include: How does the Hogar de Cristo’s presence in the neighbourhood and prevention activities contribute to reducing drug consumption in the community or change the local residents’ sense of self-worth and confidence in themselves? How does the creation of spaces for dialogue (sessions with psychologists and social workers, group meetings, workshops) become the locus for personal change and generate changes in the five dimensions described in point (1)? The spatial analysis of the relationship between drug use and access to treatment will provide additional insight into the effects at the community level
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