Agents of Change: Measuring social impact of the Neighborhood Mothers program
Makara, Hope (2020)
2020
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202005057373
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202005057373
Tiivistelmä
This qualitative social impact study aims to investigate whether the Naapuriäidit (Neighborhood Mothers) program had an impact on its participants. Naapuriäidit is a community action program ongoing in Finland and implemented by a women and girls organization called Nicehearts ry. It is currently receiving funding from the Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organizations of Finland (STEA). The thesis’ definition of social impact is the measurement of changes experienced by a program’s participants over time and how much of that change can be contributed to the program.
The method used was adapted from the ‘Most Significant Change’(MSC) technique by Davies and Dart (2005). Thirteen migrant women from the Neighborhood Mothers program were interviewed to collect ‘life-change stories’ that reflected the changes they had experienced and that was reported to be related to their participation in the Neighborhood Mothers program.
The results of the study revealed that all of the participants reported experiencing changes in their lives related to their involvement Neighborhood Mothers program. The amount of change that could be contributed to the program’s efforts, however, could not be determined. The various types of changes were categorized into four domains of change. The most common type of change reported was emotional and social related changes. If a particular change arose in the data that could not be categorized as one of the four domains of change selected, it was categorized as other. The research was important to the work-life partner to be able to show its stakeholders how the efforts of the program were impactful to its participants. The Neighborhood Mothers program staff will use the evidence of this social impact study to apply for continued funding.
Keywords: migrant women, social impact, most significant change, community action, program evaluation, monitoring and evaluation, impact measurement, NGO, funding, impact, Neighborhood Mothers
The method used was adapted from the ‘Most Significant Change’(MSC) technique by Davies and Dart (2005). Thirteen migrant women from the Neighborhood Mothers program were interviewed to collect ‘life-change stories’ that reflected the changes they had experienced and that was reported to be related to their participation in the Neighborhood Mothers program.
The results of the study revealed that all of the participants reported experiencing changes in their lives related to their involvement Neighborhood Mothers program. The amount of change that could be contributed to the program’s efforts, however, could not be determined. The various types of changes were categorized into four domains of change. The most common type of change reported was emotional and social related changes. If a particular change arose in the data that could not be categorized as one of the four domains of change selected, it was categorized as other. The research was important to the work-life partner to be able to show its stakeholders how the efforts of the program were impactful to its participants. The Neighborhood Mothers program staff will use the evidence of this social impact study to apply for continued funding.
Keywords: migrant women, social impact, most significant change, community action, program evaluation, monitoring and evaluation, impact measurement, NGO, funding, impact, Neighborhood Mothers