Participatory projects: a systematic review of their evaluations

Abstract

The research makes a systematized review of the scientific production on Spanish professional journals about the evaluation of social and community participation projects between January of 2011 and December of 2017.

After applying the exclusion criteria, only 13 were selected (7 social and 6 community participation). It is made a descriptive analysis of the main characteristics of the projects focused on the role played by the social worker played and the system of social services, the type of participation suggested on the projects, and the compliance of the quality criteria and good practices. Additionally, a narrative synthesis of the conclusions is done.

The results show differences between both types of project with higher values in all participation criteria considered for the community participation projects. In the analyzed articles, the role of social worker and the system of social services is irrelevant; however, the role of the university as evaluator and disseminator is crucial.