THE CREATIVE AND CULTURAL ECONOMY AS A RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGES OF NEET YOUTH IN THE CITY OF CARTAGENA

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore how demographic and socioeconomic factors affect the likelihood of a young person being a NEET in Cartagena, also integrating the creative economy as an alternative for their employability and personal development. The state of the art showed that, in Latin America and Europe, factors such as gender, education, and household income largely determine youth exclusion, with impacts on social mobility and economic growth. Methodologically, the Large Integrated Household Survey (GEIH-DANE, 2024) and a Logit econometric model were used to identify the most relevant variables. The results confirmed that being female, having low educational levels, and belonging to low-income households increases the probability of being NEET, while higher education significantly reduces this risk. It is concluded that the articulation between educational policies, social programs, and creative economic ecosystems could generate inclusive opportunities for employment, training, and entrepreneurship to transform the reality of NEET youth in Cartagena.