Young people living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods may experience a number of difficulties in exercising their right to education and fulfilling their educational potential and are at risk of low educational attainment or educational failure.
 

Young people should have access to affordable, youth-friendly and accessible education and training opportunities.
Public authorities should invest in education in disadvantaged communities from pre-school through to third-level.

More specifically public authorities should:

• Ensure that local educational budgets are gender sensitive and respond to the needs of minority groups. Additional financial support should be available for families who cannot afford proving access to education for their children.
• Update existing curricula so as to take account of the specific needs of young people in accessing the job market. Furthermore, make vocational and skills training more interesting and relevant, including career and vocational guidance in schools.
• Ensure that schools, colleges and other educational centres are safe, and free from bullying, discrimination, harassment – including sexual harassment – and all forms of violence, and have procedures in place so that schools, teachers and other staff can be alert to the problems that young people are facing. Teacher-training programmes should include modules on social inclusion, intercultural issues and gender equality.
• Continuous vocational training and “second chance” education should be available to early school leavers. Furthermore, education should be accessible to young people from families with nomadic, semi-nomadic lifestyle and young people who are refugees or asylum-seekers.
• Schools should build partnerships with youth workers to further promote non-formal education, particularly focused on democratic citizenship and human rights. Schools should also promote good health practices and sexual education.
• Develop meaningful participation of elected student representatives in decision-making in schools.
   

Read more about Education and training (Chapter 6 - Publication Taking it seriously)