Inclusion through social capital: An experiment of activation

By evaluating effects of different types of activation programs we will bring forward precise and relevant knowledge about how activation programs can be more effective and targeted at bridging the gap to active work and at combatting social exclusion thr ough social capital. The core of the research activities is a multi-site social experiment involving central and local government, NGO’s, professionals, employers, researchers and the workless. Random assignment will be applied to evaluate the effects of activation programmes. The concept of social capital is our main theoretical and practical tool and the yardstick for the overall assessment of the impact of project and the ensuing interventions. To support the core project we propose an analysis of how institutional factors influence social capital and social exclusion by comparing various welfare states, and a study of people who are excluded from public welfare and who turn to NGO’s for assistance. A running theme in the project will be social stratif ication with an emphasis on gender and ethnic minorities. The new knowledge that the project will bring about will be of high quality and relevant for improving the social services for the unemployed in the municipalities. This knowledge will enhance the policy makers’ competence and capacity to act.