WP2 in Action: Building the Data Foundation for EVOSST

Within EVOSST, Work Package 2 (WP2), Lifecycle Impact Analysis with Dynamic Modelling, plays a central role in transforming data into insight. The overall aim of WP2 is to support the analysis of the long-term impact of social services across different demographic groups and national contexts. By doing so, it helps build the evidence base needed for stronger modelling, clearer analysis, and better-informed policy and practice.

WP2 is structured around four connected tasks: data collection and integration, model development and longitudinal study design, data analysis and visualisation, and model refinement with stakeholder validation. At the heart of this work lies Task 2.1: Data Collection and Integration, which provides the empirical foundation for everything that follows. Without the right data, dynamic modelling cannot deliver meaningful results. This is why Task 2.1 has been such a decisive step for the project.

A major achievement of Task 2.1 has been the development of a two-stream data collection strategy designed specifically for EVOSST’s modelling needs.

The first stream focused on extracting data from the SHARE platform, using waves 8 and 9 for the partner countries Romania, Greece, Belgium, and Bulgaria. This gave the project access to a strong and harmonised source of data across multiple national contexts. Working with SHARE allowed the team to build on an established platform and to ensure comparability across countries, which is essential when analysing the long-term effects of social services in a robust and consistent way.

At the same time, the WP2 team identified an important limitation. SHARE data target adults aged 50 and above. While this makes SHARE highly valuable for studying older populations, EVOSST needed to address a broader part of the population in order to support lifecycle modelling more effectively. In particular, the project needed data from young adults, whose experiences and expectations are also relevant for understanding the wider social impact of services.

This led to the second stream of Task 2.1: the development of a dedicated EVOSST questionnaire tailored to the project’s specific modelling requirements. Rather than depending only on existing datasets, the team designed a survey capable of capturing information directly aligned with EVOSST’s analytical goals. The questionnaire was then used to collect data from young adults at the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, helping to fill the age gap left by SHARE and broadening the scope of the dataset.

The questionnaire used in this process can be accessed here: EVOSST questionnaire.

This two-stream approach is one of the strongest elements of WP2 so far. On one side, the project benefits from the depth and cross-country comparability of SHARE data. On the other, it adds a targeted, project-specific layer of primary data collection that brings younger adults into the picture. Together, these two sources create a richer and more balanced evidence base, one that is better suited to the needs of dynamic modelling and lifecycle impact analysis.

The value of this work goes beyond data collection alone. Task 2.1 is laying the groundwork for the next stages of WP2, including model development, longitudinal study design, advanced analysis, visualisation, and stakeholder validation. In practical terms, this means that the data being gathered today will shape how EVOSST understands the sustainability, effectiveness, and long-term benefits of social services tomorrow.

As the project moves forward, WP2 will continue to connect data, modelling, and real-world relevance. The work completed in Task 2.1 shows how careful methodological design can strengthen the entire project: combining high-quality secondary data with targeted primary data collection to reflect a wider population and support more meaningful analysis. In this sense, Task 2.1 is not just the starting point of WP2, but one of its most important contributions to EVOSST as a whole.