Empowering Youth: Applying Positive Youth Development in Medellín's Urban periphery

Abstract

Abstract This thesis explores how youth participation is fostered within the Children of Medellín Foundation, a grassroots organization situated in an urban, low-income area of Medellín, Colombia. Drawing on the Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework and the Participation Ladder model, the study investigates how program elements such as facilitator relationships, activity design, and trust, enable or limit young people's contributions to ideas and decision-making. Using a qualitative approach, the research combines participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and creative methods (drawing and photovoice) with children (ages 8–16), older youth (17–21), and staff members. Findings show that while informal participation and emotional support are widespread, formal influence remains limited and highly dependent on facilitator style and program flexibility. Trust and relational safety emerged as key conditions for meaningful engagement, particularly in a context shaped by displacement, poverty, and urban marginalization. Although the foundation exemplifies many PYD principles, especially Connection, Confidence, and Caring, the study argues that Contribution is often expressed relationally rather than structurally. The research highlights the need for contextually responsive participation frameworks that go beyond tokenism and calls for youth programs to embed inclusive and participatory decision-making structures that recognize and elevate diverse forms of youth agency. These insights offer practical guidance for development practitioners, educators, and policymakers seeking to strengthen youth participation in socioeconomically constrained urban settings.