Evaluation of innovation projects “Shaping diversity” (federal program “Live Democracy!”)

Focus: “Selected phenomena of group-focused enmity and empowerment”, “Intersectionality and multiple discrimination” and “Living together in the migration society”

Expert Group on Democracy Promotion and Democratic Practice

Project head: Dr. Olaf Kleist ,  Dr. Mirjam Weiberg

Project team members: Ameena Aali ,  Samah Al-Hashash ,  Lukas Ballon ,  Dr. Sarah Berndt ,  Sebastian Butzke ,  Luise Haustein ,  Brinda Heckmann ,  Gerel Ishkeeva ,  Nina Kohl ,  Dr. Hanna Hoa Anh Mai ,  Elena Manevic ,  Simon Müller ,  Sharleen Pevec-Zimmer ,  Dr. Ebtisam Ramadan ,  Lisa Schmit ,  Adrian Schneider ,  Anja Schöll

In its third funding phase (01/2025–12/2028), the federal program “Live Democracy!” promotes the advancement of diversity through so-called Innovation Projects (IPs). These projects are intended to develop and test new, innovative approaches to work and/or new ways of reaching target groups within the thematic field. Currently, the projects are focused on selected phenomena related to the promotion of diversity, including group-focused enmity (GFE), intersectionality and multiple discrimination, and coexistence in a migration society. For each thematic area, the federal program has defined intermediary objectives and associated action goals to help projects implement the program’s overarching objectives through their innovation projects.

The primary objective of the evaluation of the Innovation Projects in the promotion of diversity is to assess the implementation, goal achievement, and impact of these projects, accompanying them both formatively and summatively. Additionally, it aims to advise the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) and the Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society Functions (BAFzA) through success and impact monitoring to support the management and further development of the program and its fields of action. The focus is on needs- and subject-oriented impact analyses, evaluations of goal achievement, and the further development of (innovative) approaches through continuous learning, as well as strengthening the capacity for self-evaluation. A key challenge is the recursive inclusion of all perspectives of those involved in the measures (target groups, implementers, funding bodies, and evaluators) and effectively communicating these perspectives.

Funding: Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (Third-party funding)

Cooperation partner:

• German Youth Institute (DJI) (Halle)
• Institute for Social Work and Social Education (ISS) (Frankfurt)
• Camino (Berlin)
• ProVal (Hannover)