After two decades leading open/libre software initiatives and open communities, and continuing my citizen participation projects from last year, in 2025 I am focusing my efforts on strengthening the social fabric by establishing an online citizen community in my city, Valladolid (Spain).
In just three months, we have gone from an idea to a platform with more than 1500 members, generating tens of thousands of messages weekly and attracting the participation of key people in the city, such as neighborhood associations, city council representatives and other relevant political and civil figures. This project aims to be a digital meeting place where neighbors can debate, collaborate and act in favor of our city.
Aldea Pucela: Uniting Valladolid in the digital age
The idea of Aldea Pucela arose from the need for a permanent and organized space for local conversation, similar to the old Terra or IRC chats. In collaboration with David, who started the Telegram group, and Yustin, our local influencer who has boosted its diffusion, we have managed in record time to create an active, diverse community that is constantly growing and adding value to the residents of Valladolid.
Structure and dynamization of the community
My role in Aldea Pucela has been to facilitate and structure its growth, combining my experience in online communities with the collective knowledge of its participants. From organizing topics to integrating technological tools, my approach has been to provide a solid framework that allows neighbors to connect and collaborate effectively.
Rapid expansion and engagement: In just three months, we have surpassed 1500 members, with sustained growth thanks to strategies of active participation and revitalization.
Thematic organization: We defined subtopics in the Telegram chat that range from news and politics to sports and gastronomy, facilitating focused discussions.
Promoting participation: We designed participation rules and good practices based on my experience with online communities, ensuring an inclusive and constructive space, with informative debates and accurate and reliable information.
Integration of technological tools
Technology has been key to enriching the community experience and optimizing communication:
Automation of information: I developed “Pucelo Bot”, a bot that not only integrates local news and traffic alerts in the chat, but also connects the forum with the Telegram chat and automatically publishes everything that happens in the community in a BlueSky account, expanding its reach.
Complementary forum and events calendar: We created a forum at aldeapucela.com for those who prefer a more leisurely interaction. In addition, we have integrated an events section where any resident can publish local activities and, thanks to Pucelo Bot, they can be automatically imported from the chat to the forum if desired.
Management tools and citizen action: We have implemented a platform to make it easy for residents to submit complaints and suggestions to the town council in a simple and effective way, in a few seconds.
Moderation and security: To ensure that Aldea Pucela remains a space focused on residents and their real needs, and not on commercial promotion or attracting sponsors, I have integrated mechanisms into the bot for reporting inappropriate content to immediately alert human moderators so that they can act quickly.
Outstanding initiatives
We have promoted activities that strengthen cohesion and citizen action:
Live debates with real impact: We organize audio talks on key issues for the city. Our first debate on participatory budgeting rejected by the city council brought together residents, associations and political representatives, demonstrating the power of the community to amplify voices and promote collective action.
Citizen campaigns: As a result of these discussions, we developed tools that allow citizens to organize and present complains to the city council in an effective manner.
Challenges and opportunities
One of the biggest challenges ahead of us is the integration of traditional neighborhood associations, who are used to face-to-face dynamics, into this digital environment. However, our structure is allowing both young people and more veteran groups to find value in the community, turning it into an intergenerational bridge.
Looking into the future
Aldea Pucela is demonstrating its potential as a catalyst for change in Valladolid. Now, we want to continue growing, generating valuable content, facilitating digital activism and serving as a model for other cities interested in strengthening their social fabric through digital platforms.
If you are from Valladolid, we invite you to join Aldea Pucela and be an active part of this community. If you belong to another locality and are interested in replicating this initiative, I am available to collaborate in the construction of online citizen communities that promote participation and the common good.
Acknowledgements
None of this would be possible without the collaboration and effort of many people. I would especially like to thank David, who started the Telegram group, and Yustin, whose promotion has been key to the growth of the community. But above all, my greatest recognition goes to all the members of Aldea Pucela, who every day contribute value, content and debates that make this community a living and relevant space for Valladolid.
