Article type
Abstract
Background
In May 2020, the Spanish government introduced a national minimum income scheme targeted at the vulnerable population in Spain, which ranks among the countries with the highest rates of poverty and social exclusion in Europe. However, as social exclusion is a multifaceted phenomenon, the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations (MISSM) launched 34 companion pilot inclusion programs, with the objective of evaluating them using randomized control trials (RCTs) to generate rigorous evidence of social inclusion policies. This initiative, the Policy Lab, is unprecedented in Spain and Europe, and it exemplifies a model of evidence generation and use within the governments, in collaboration with scientific and implementing partners.
Objectives
With the aim of serving as an example of and inspiration for collaborative models of generation of rigorous evidence for policy, the presentation would consist of a comprehensive explanation of the launch Policy Lab. The session would focus on how the Policy Lab was envisioned and established within the Ministry and with which objectives. We would address the structure of the Lab, a description of the involved actors and governance, and the lessons learned from the initiative.
Methods
The presentation of the Policy Lab will focus on the main outcomes of the experience, which include impact evaluations of each pilot program using RCTs combined with qualitative results, synthesis and comparison of results, and lessons learned from the Lab. As input for the session, we will gather the learnings, experiences, and vision of the different actors involved in the Lab: the government, the implementing partners—regional and local governments and the third sector—and the researchers.
Results and Conclusions
The Inclusion Policy Lab in Spain is an unprecedented initiative to promote evidence-based policymaking. This initiative has few precedents in Europe, especially regarding the methodology used for the evaluations (RCTs), the political engagement, the program's budget (€212 million), and geographical coverage. By September 2024, the Lab will constitute a valuable source of lessons learned regarding both the generated evidence and the model of collaborative evidence generation and use between academics, government, and the third sector.
In May 2020, the Spanish government introduced a national minimum income scheme targeted at the vulnerable population in Spain, which ranks among the countries with the highest rates of poverty and social exclusion in Europe. However, as social exclusion is a multifaceted phenomenon, the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations (MISSM) launched 34 companion pilot inclusion programs, with the objective of evaluating them using randomized control trials (RCTs) to generate rigorous evidence of social inclusion policies. This initiative, the Policy Lab, is unprecedented in Spain and Europe, and it exemplifies a model of evidence generation and use within the governments, in collaboration with scientific and implementing partners.
Objectives
With the aim of serving as an example of and inspiration for collaborative models of generation of rigorous evidence for policy, the presentation would consist of a comprehensive explanation of the launch Policy Lab. The session would focus on how the Policy Lab was envisioned and established within the Ministry and with which objectives. We would address the structure of the Lab, a description of the involved actors and governance, and the lessons learned from the initiative.
Methods
The presentation of the Policy Lab will focus on the main outcomes of the experience, which include impact evaluations of each pilot program using RCTs combined with qualitative results, synthesis and comparison of results, and lessons learned from the Lab. As input for the session, we will gather the learnings, experiences, and vision of the different actors involved in the Lab: the government, the implementing partners—regional and local governments and the third sector—and the researchers.
Results and Conclusions
The Inclusion Policy Lab in Spain is an unprecedented initiative to promote evidence-based policymaking. This initiative has few precedents in Europe, especially regarding the methodology used for the evaluations (RCTs), the political engagement, the program's budget (€212 million), and geographical coverage. By September 2024, the Lab will constitute a valuable source of lessons learned regarding both the generated evidence and the model of collaborative evidence generation and use between academics, government, and the third sector.