In light of current societal challenges, which are intensified by the digital transformation, the aging of society and climate change, the public education system today is challenged more than ever. At the same time, various studies show declines in student performance, rising cancellation of classes in school, and also forecast a growing shortage of skilled workers. As a result, the focus is shifting more and more to civil society as an educational actor. In fact, civil society actors - committed individuals as well as organizations - make significant contributions to education on site and beyond. Volunteering mentors support young and old in developing certain skills such as reading or digital literacy.
Civil society organizations are often seen as a bulwark against the far right. They are portrayed as democratic and participatory spaces, in which racist or nativist attitudes can be counteracted. However, civil society itself has increasingly become a target of far-right interventions in recent years. This has led to the emergence of new organizations as well as divides within existing civil society organizations. These developments threaten to weaken the integrative power of civil society.