NextGenC is a research project focused on how youth participate in the urban governance of intermediate cities in Colombia. This study highlights the role and impact of digital technology on their participation and analyzes how digitalization and datafication influence democratic practices.

To launch this research, we established several crucial steps. One of our fundamental objectives was to identify youth groups, collectives, and movements in 95 intermediate cities across the country, meaning those with populations ranging from 50,000 to one million inhabitants.

We utilized an extensive network of professional and personal contacts, communicated via email with youth counselors, reviewed regional and national media, explored social networks, and consulted databases from the National Electoral Council, the Directory of National Youth Councils, and Colombia Joven.

The initial result of this mapping yielded 676 youth groups, collectives, and movements distributed across 25 departments. Subsequently, we characterized these groups to determine their local political participation, the use of digital technology to enhance their influence, and the predominant keywords or hashtags on their social media or web platforms. 

This analysis was important to identify groups, collectives, or movements that were not truly youth-led, that belonged to the youth branch of a political movement, or that were individuals without affiliation to any form of youth organization. With this information, we were able to refine the list, leaving a database containing only seemingly legitimate youth movements, groups, or collectives. Thus, we reduced the identified entities from 676 to 616 in the refined list. 

Currently, we are in the second phase of this process. We have invited young people from these 95 intermediate cities to register and share information about active youth groups, collectives, or movements in their territories. This information will allow us to update our previous exercise and expand our mapping. At NextGenC, we want to include all active youth voices!