Designing an Empowerment-Based a Social Investment Program in Saudi Arabia: Adapting the US Experience Through Change and Human Capital Theories
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Innovative social investments are crucial in addressing societal challenges and fostering sustainable development. Welfare-to-work programs help disadvantaged people increase their opportunities and employability through training. Working a sustainable job helps women get off welfare, improve their standard of living, and reduce their financial dependency. Evaluating the scope of such programs is vital to enhancing their impact, achieving the desired outcomes, and adapting them for other locations. This study adapts the intervention for a location in Saudi Arabia, with the aim of improving communication skills and job training instead of providing financial assistance. A theory of change and human capital theory are used in the program plan’s logic model. After the intervention, the participants are expected to find a job and leave welfare. This experimental study employs a mixed-methods design to adapt the program for Saudi Arabia and recruits only those in the welfare group. The program’s short-term training impact is expected to be greater than its long-term impact because women sometimes find it challenging to leave welfare, which may affect many other social and economic factors
Institution: Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University
Language: English
Subfield: Gender Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7219978587