An integrated framework for youth digital participation through case study analysis of heritage youth organizations

Youth digital participation is increasingly promoted by cultural institutions as part of broader shifts towards participatory heritage governance. However, limited research focuses on how such participation is structured, supported and evaluated across heritage organizations, particularly in relation to youth agency, institutional power dynamics and digital mediation. This paper develops and validates an integrated framework for youth digital participation through multiple case study analyses of eight heritage youth organizations. Data were collected from interviews with youth participants, coordinators and institutional representatives, supplemented by supporting documents, such as reports and digital media content. The findings validate and refine indicators across motivation, identity, capacities, agency, power dynamics, inclusion and impact. Emerging themes, including informal learning, youth leadership, trust and safety, accessibility, entrepreneurship and multi-dimensional mentorship, further extend the framework. This integrated framework offers a flexible analytical and evaluative tool for designing and assessing youth digital participation across diverse heritage governance contexts.