Social Intervention vs. Research: Planning and Project Levels
Social Intervention vs. Social Research: Understanding the Difference
Researchers are often seen as experts with specific demands, while research subjects are treated as information sources. The difference between them is significant. Individuals whose lives are transformed by interventions often do not know the project’s objectives, whereas in social intervention, particularly within the EML framework, subjects are involved in its creation.
This distinction between intervention and social research is crucial when designing a project. If the research aims to provide knowledge about a reality that requires action, the project’s role from this perspective is limited to fulfilling this requirement. For the researcher, the relationship with the subject is confined within the logic of scientific research, which allows for the understanding, generalization, and dissemination of knowledge to be reviewed by the scientific community. In contrast, intervention aims to directly change social reality. The relationship between the expert and the subject is based on achieving a shared outcome. The project is considered successful when a school is built, literacy rates increase, or child mortality decreases. Therefore, the shared goal of transforming social reality is not sufficient for both models to share the logic of scientific research.
Goal-Oriented Planning
Planning involves anticipating the reality of action. We can define planning as a plan subject to a specific, studied activity. When discussing planning in the context of social intervention, we refer to an approach that observes an activity or problem from a general perspective, while a project is executed from a specific perspective.
The point of divergence lies between the levels of planning and project execution. With the project integrated as a component within the broader goal proposed by planning, the project’s end (the “what for” and “why”) operates at a lower level. Planning is designed to address general and complex problems that are to be solved through projects that impact specific aspects of these problems.
Levels of Planning in Social Intervention
The differentiation of planning levels is not limited to the project’s scope. In practice, planning is established on two higher levels, which are specified in plans and programs. These three levels of planning are often structured through cause-effect relationships between problems and ranked objectives. This joint approach allows for a comprehensive address of complex intervention areas.
In summary, social intervention planning is currently conducted systematically. Problems within a field of activity are complex and must be broken down into their most basic dimensions to be solved systematically. The planning method is familiar: the scope is defined, lines of action are established, and software packages are used. Once individualized, these are addressed by specific objectives. The approach moves from general planning (program plan to project) to the specific, while the intervention remains limited to the project implementation phase.
Understanding Plans, Programs, and Projects
- Plans: Address broad areas of action, with general goals aimed at transforming the living conditions of a large number of people. Their application period is often long, typically between three and five years.
- Programs: Focus on identifying specific problems that are subsequently addressed by specific projects. The target population is smaller and identified through characteristics that define the specific problems to be solved. The application time is usually shorter, around two years, allowing for the evaluation of objective achievement within the mid-term timeframe of plans.
- Projects: Represent the most specific level of action. In EML, each project is centered on one goal. It defines the tasks and resources needed for its realization and usually has an even shorter duration, around one year. The target population is very specific and must be adequately covered by the project design.