Educational Gaps: The Role of Third Sector Organizations in Fighting Exclusion

In urban environments, migrants often face significant challenges accessing basic services like education, despite the universal right to it. Public authorities, responsible for ensuring access, frequently overlook the specific needs of migrant communities, leading to exclusion from essential services such as school enrolment and extracurricular programs. This work explores how third sector organizations (TSOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) in Italy address the gaps left by public authorities, ensuring that immigrant children and their families can access education and related services.

Focusing on the findings of the Città-IN project, we analyze how TSOs and CSOs innovate to overcome barriers in three areas: linguistic accessibility, adequate information, and the realization of rights. These organizations play a pivotal role in ensuring that migrant families can fully engage in educational opportunities. By providing tailored after-school programs, language support, and assistance with enrolment, TSOs and CSOs work to promote inclusivity, highlighting education's role as a tool for social integration.

This paper sheds light on how these organizations not only meet the immediate educational needs of migrants but also challenge the broader systems of exclusion, promoting the "right to the city" for all. It critically examines the tension between public institutions and TSOs, emphasizing the need for collaborative frameworks to ensure inclusive educational environments for diverse urban populations.

This research aligns with the panel’s theme of inclusion and exclusion by demonstrating how educational organizations can address diversity, bridging the gaps between institutional shortcomings and migrant integration.