¿Cómo construir una línea base en programas sociales?

Introduction to the Workshop

Overview of the Session

• The workshop focuses on the second stage of impact measurement, specifically creating a baseline for social programs.

• Recap of the first workshop, which covered strategies for measuring impact and preparing teams for implementation.

Objectives and Hypotheses

• Participants will learn about objectives, hypotheses, and indicators necessary for establishing a baseline.

• Emphasis on understanding what a baseline is, its purpose, and key considerations in its design.

Understanding Baselines

Definition and Importance

• A baseline serves as a starting point in evaluating social programs; it helps identify beneficiaries and their conditions at "time zero."

• The concept of "time zero" refers to initial measurements that inform future evaluations rather than just being the first data point.

Practical Application

• Before launching new initiatives (e.g., entrepreneurship programs), it's crucial to gather community insights regarding needs and expectations.

• The baseline should describe initial conditions before program implementation or evaluation begins.

Challenges in Program Design

Community Engagement

• Importance of conducting thorough assessments to understand community needs before designing programs.

• Highlighting common pitfalls where organizations assume they know community needs without proper research.

Updating Programs

• Discusses how baselines can be used not only at inception but also during program updates to adapt methodologies based on changing community expectations.

Impact Evaluation and Information Gathering

Objectives of Information Collection

• The initial goal is to gather and analyze information related to talent evaluation, particularly focusing on baseline data for impact assessment.

• A request was made for data from the last five years regarding the "talents" program, as well as similar requests for other programs like "comunique monos" and "creciendo juntos."

• The importance of having a comprehensive timeline is emphasized; some projects may not have extensive historical data available.

Analyzing Community Needs

• The second objective involves validating the needs and priorities of individuals within the community, ensuring that their voices are heard in program development.

• Reference is made to a resource titled "diseño centrado en la persona," which highlights the necessity of asking community members what they want when creating social programs.

Application of Insights

• The third objective focuses on using baseline data to train responsible parties involved in program implementation, ensuring they are equipped with necessary insights.