Social Lab Castilla

Social Lab Castilla

In Castilla, comuna 5, in Medellin the youth represent 21% of the sector’s population, but they account for close to 50% of the violent deaths since the 90s in the city as a whole. Out of the 32,880 youth that live in Castilla today, many belong to one of the 22 criminal groups that are present in this territory. However, the vast majority work to improve their own life and of the neighborhood. Many are community leaders that belong to youth collectives that through the arts, culture, sports, and political activism, work to transform the history of Castilla. Youth in marginalized neighborhoods around the world face clashing realities that are ultimately the result of systems that produce very little opportunities for them to fully develop their potential and thrive. They must negotiate between joining the armed forces including the police, criminal groups, or to go against all odds to study, find a job, and/or join a youth collective. To be sure, there are inhibiting forces present in the city that are constantly acting on the dynamics that function to perpetuate conflicts. Among these inhabiting forces is the energy and enthusiasm of youth to face, respond, and transform conflicts. Thus, how to better channel the energy of all these youth—including those who are part of gangs—in a way that fosters sustainable transformations for them individually and for their ecosystem as a whole? Social Lab Castilla is intended to do precisely this: to find ways to direct the methods, resources, networks, and technologies that youth leaders have developed towards a more impactful and sustainable transformation in their neighborhood.