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. 

Ese análisis fue importante para identificar aquellos grupos, colectivos o movimientos que en realidad no eran liderados por jóvenes, que pertenecían a la rama juvenil de un movimiento político o que eran personas independientes sin pertenencia a alguna forma de organización juvenil. Con esta información fue posible depurar la lista, dejando una base de datos que sólo contiene movimientos, grupos o colectivos juveniles que parecen legítimos. Fue así como pasamos de haber identificado a 676 grupos, colectivos o movimientos juveniles a 614 en la lista depurada. 

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!