Juan Pablo Aranguren RomeroSergio Daniel Arrieta-VeraFrancy Carranza-FrancoSanne WeberJuan Roberto Rengifo-GutiérrezKarina Martínez-RozoMónica Pinilla‐RoncancioGermán CasasSally A. M. FentonLouis Monroy-Santander2026-03-222026-03-22202510.1080/00207411.2025.2526217https://doi.org/10.1080/00207411.2025.2526217https://andeanlibrary.org/handle/123456789/77370Colombia’s history of political violence and internal conflict has impacted the psychosocial wellbeing of the population, particularly children and young people. Not much is known, however, about whether age-specific and culturally appropriate services exist, nor about the role of community organizations in this. This research took the city of Buenaventura as a case study in order to address this gap in knowledge. As a major Pacific coastal port, Buenaventura is of economic importance. At the same time it experiences high levels of poverty and exclusion, especially its large population of minoritised Afro-Colombian and indigenous people, and has been significantly impacted by violence during decades of armed conflict and operational paramilitary and neo-paramilitary groups. Based on semi-structured interviews and group discussions with show that these organizations develop strategies that contribute to the emotional wellbeing of children and adolescents, through enabling collective scenarios for a nonviolent daily life, supporting emotional expression through artistic practices and therapeutic psychosocial actions, and drawing on traditional practices of Afro-descendant communities in the Colombian Pacific. This article develops a deeper understanding of age and culturally informed approaches to emotionally supporting young people in violent contexts, that is of broader relevance in a context of increasing global conflict.enPsychosocialPsychologyCommunity integrationPsychiatryMental healthMedicineCriminologyarticle