Assessing social impact: a Belgian case study in a shelter for homeless men

Evaluating social performance is a major concern for social enterprises (SE), both internally (improving social outcomes) and externally (proving social outcomes to stakeholders) (Stievenard et Pache, 2014 ; Jany-Catrice et al., 2017 ; Mertens S. et al., 2017). Many approaches and tools are being developed and debated in academia and on the field – Social Return On Investment, Random Control Trial, Theory of Change, to name a few formalized forms (Nicholls et al., 2012 ; Molecke et Pinkse, 2017). Among them, before-after econometric studies aim at capturing the "net effect" of a SE by looking at significant differences in the situation of its beneficiaries before and after benefiting from the SE’s activities. While being often evoked, its applications are said to be highly resource consuming and thus remain scarce. The before-after econometric approach has been chosen by one of the biggest Belgian SE that accompanies precarious people towards autonomy through a combination of economic and social activities. Since December 2016, we are collecting data in one of its shelters welcoming around 300 homeless men annually for an average period of 6 months during which they have to take part in an activity (in the SE or outside). Social workers, residents and researchers co-constructed a multi-dimensional questionnaire, covering topics such as well-being, health, mastery (feeling of control on one’s own life), social network. It is being administered at the beginning of the stay, after 5 months and after 12 months (if relevant) in-house to the residents, with their social workers filling a complementary questionnaire. Administrative data on the residents’ profile and socio-economic situation complement these data