Jóvenes NINI: del concepto a sus trayectorias de vida en pandemia

In the following pages, the reader will find testimonies, statistics, indicator studies, press analysis, sociological and demographic insights; as an attempt to understand a growing social phenomenon in Colombia, the difficulty that young people face in maintaining formal education and employment, beyond the need to contribute to the formal economy and sustain the productive apparatus. We listen to young people in different cities of the country, contrast their testimonies with those of the press and other media, compare them with data from the National Administrative Department of Statistics, and page after page, we aim to provide an updated and sensitive overview that starts from a stigmatizing concept to uncover a combination of precariousness and complex conditions that youth go through. We also mention the desires for transformation, contradictions, and emotions that are part of their vital dynamics. Through this text, we seek to present the results of the characterization of NEET youth in Colombia, in the context of the pandemic. Sociodemographic aspects and felt social needs of this population segment (between 14 and 28 years old) that reflect a great diversity and intersectional crossings with variables such as gender, socioeconomic status, race, geographic location, among others. We hope this document contributes to the guidance of public policies and strategies for addressing the needs of young people, as well as a better understanding of the issue.