Introduction

In recent years, perspectives, expectations and requirements of faithbased and third sector organisations (TSOs) as community support and social care providers have changed, with accompanying requirements for evidencing the impact of their programmes. This chapter aims to encourage faith-based organisations and TSOs to consider realist evaluation in helping to identify and evidence what it is about their programmes that offer benefit. It begins by considering the contexts of faith-based organisations and TSOs and those of people accessing their services, including those affected by multiple and deep exclusion. An introduction to realist evaluation is presented, followed by a realist-inspired evaluation examining what works, for whom, in what circumstances, how and why. This draws on the real-life experiences of two men who successfully addressed problematic alcohol use and its ramifications when accessing Salvation Army community programmes.

Context

Governmental Big Society reforms called on faith-based organisations and TSOs to develop and provide ‘innovative, bottom-up services where expensive state provision has failed’ (Office for Civil Society, 2010). The financial societal context was one of widespread challenges, with tendering required for services and contracts (Office for Civil Society, 2010). Successful bidding depends on evidence of impact, economic value and, on occasions, added value compared to competitors. While some programmes use reporting frameworks to meet organisational or statutory inspection bodies’ requirements, others do not. Thus, it can be difficult for TSOs unfamiliar with such processes to examine what they are offering their client population and the associated outcomes. Simultaneously, the same TSOs are accustomed to working with people and situations overflowing with complexity, including those affected by problematic alcohol use.

‘Tackling the UK's alcohol problem’ (Siva, 2015) discusses the challenge of alcohol and its impact on individuals and health providers. Despite the health implications of problematic alcohol use, individuals may have limited benefit from health supports because of their ‘failure to attend’ – or perhaps because service provision does not consistently befit vulnerable people. Advantages in health providers working with TSOs are recognised – albeit that integration is perceived as currently inadequate (Brown, 2015). However, statutory providers may not always know where an individual sources help, including their daily supports from faith-based organisations or TSOs. These organisations may be core providers of nutrition, hygiene opportunities, clothing and companionship.