Hello dear listeners,

In this episode, we explored youth participation and democracy, and how children and young people are engaging with public life in new and challenging ways. We talked with Andrés Falk and Marcela Guerrero, Executive Director and Project Manager, respectively, at CoGlobal, whose work across Spain focuses on creating meaningful participatory spaces for children and young people.

CoGlobal has implemented methodologies such as school-based participatory budgeting, youth councils, and citizen assemblies. One of their initiatives is Ágora Infantil, an approach that involves entire classrooms over several months, empowering children to influence real local decisions - while ensuring they learn what it means to participate in practice.

The conversation addressed key challenges to participation with Gen A, including rising expectations for quick feedback, the impact of disinformation, and increasing polarisation around issues such as gender equality and climate justice. Despite this, both our guests were hopeful for the future of democracy and the role that Gen A can have. Their keen sense of justice, digital savviness, creative problem-solving, and rapid learning through exploration are powerful tools for participatory democracy, provided they are nurtured in supportive environments.

Finally, we reflected on the importance of rethinking youth work and participation altogether. What if we could redesign our democratic systems from scratch, unburdened by centuries of tradition? Andres suggests that such a radical reimagining might be necessary, especially considering the limitations of current institutions in engaging youth authentically.

Listen now and join the conversation on how participation can be reimagined with — and not just for — young people.

For any ideas, comments, or suggestions, feel free to email us at talkingyouthworkpodcast@gmail.com.

This episode is part of the Inception of Learning project, funded by the Erasmus+ Youth Programme, which supports youth workers, trainers, and educators in delivering high-quality learning experiences for young people in the context of Generation Z and Generation Alpha.

#YouthWork #GenerationAlpha #ParticipatoryDemocracy #YouthParticipation