From education to entrepreneurship: young people take their priorities to the OECD and TUI Care Foundation in Berlin

• Members of Youthwise, the OECD’s Youth Advisory Board supported by the TUI Care Foundation, come together in Berlin to bring young people’s perspectives into OECD work on entrepreneurship and education
• Workshop connects young people with experts from the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities and the Directorate for Education and Skills
• TUI Care Foundation supports Youthwise to strengthen sustained youth participation in international policy discussions.

How can entrepreneurship create better opportunities for the next generation? And what should education systems look like to prepare young people for a rapidly changing world? These were some of the questions at the heart of a Youthwise consultation workshop in Berlin organised with the support of the TUI Care Foundation, to bring young people’s experiences and ideas directly into OECD policy discussions.

Youthwise is the OECD’s Youth Advisory Board and provides young people with a platform to contribute their perspectives to the organisation’s work. Its current 2025–2027 cohort brings together 18 young people aged between 18 and 30 from OECD member countries, including students, researchers, youth advocates and NGO founders. Launched by the OECD in 2021 and supported by the TUI Care Foundation since 2023, the initiative combines consultations, workshops and events that connect young people directly with OECD policy experts and create opportunities for their perspectives to shape OECD work.

The Berlin workshop, held at the Federal Representation of Lower Saxony, focused on two areas that will play a significant role in shaping opportunities for the next generation. In a session with the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities, participants explored youth entrepreneurship and discussed the opportunities and barriers young people face when developing their own ideas and businesses. Their perspectives will contribute to ongoing OECD reflections on inclusive entrepreneurship and the experiences of young entrepreneurs.

The session was followed by a consultation with the OECD Directorate for Education and Skills focused on PISA, the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment. The workshop explored how PISA can be made more relevant, engaging and meaningful for young people, with Youthwise members drawing on their recent lived experience of education systems as well as perspectives gathered through their wider youth networks.

The consultation forms part of a broader reflection on the future of PISA ahead of its tenth cycle in 2029. Youthwise members developed recommendations arising from the Berlin discussions, which will be shared with OECD education policymakers and shapers, and contribute to wider discussions on the future evolution of PISA.

The workshop builds on the launch of the 2025–2027 Youthwise cohort at OECD Headquarters in Paris, where members began engaging with experts from across the organisation.

Over the course of their two-year term, Youthwise members will contribute to work on topics including education and skills, digitalisation, the future of tourism and social inclusion. They take part in dedicated consultations with OECD experts, contribute to events and panels, co-create written and multimedia content and connect with youth organisations and young leaders internationally.

Thomas Ellerbeck, Chairman of the Board of the TUI Care Foundation, said: “Policies on education, entrepreneurship and employment will shape the opportunities available to young people for decades to come, so it is essential that their experiences and ideas are part of the conversation today. Youthwise creates a direct bridge between young people and international policymaking, giving them the opportunity not only to be heard, but to actively contribute. Supporting the OECD to create these spaces helps unlock opportunities for the next generation, enabling young people to engage directly with experts on the issues that will define their futures.”

The Berlin consultation continues a partnership between the TUI Care Foundation and the OECD that began with the 2023–2024 Youthwise cohort. During that first term of collaboration, participants explored issues including the transition from school to work, climate resilience and the path to net zero, skills development and youth participation. The current cohort builds on this experience, expanding engagement into new areas whilst continuing to strengthen the role of young people in discussions that will influence their futures.

Through its support for Youthwise, the TUI Care Foundation helping to create a sustained model of youth participation in international policy discussions – connecting young people with policy experts, expanding their networks and creating opportunities for their experiences and ideas to inform discussions on issues that will affect their generation for years to come.

About the TUI Care Foundation

Building on the potential of tourism as a force for good, the TUI Care Foundation supports and initiates projects which create new opportunities and contribute to thriving communities in tourism destinations all over the world. Connecting holidaymakers to good causes, it supports education and training opportunities for young people; drives the protection of natural habitats and the marine environment; and helps local communities to thrive sustainably and benefit from tourism. The TUI Care Foundation builds on strong partnerships with local and international organisations to create meaningful and long-lasting impact. The independent charitable organisation was founded by TUI, one of the world’s leading tourism businesses, and is based in the Netherlands.

About the OECD

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation that works to build better policies for better lives. Drawing on more than 60 years of experience and insights, the OECD shapes policies that foster prosperity and opportunity, underpinned by equality and well-being. The OECD works closely with policy makers, stakeholders and citizens to establish evidence-based international standards and to find solutions to social, economic and environmental challenges. From improving economic performance and strengthening policies to fight climate change to bolstering education and combating international tax evasion, the OECD serves as a unique forum and knowledge hub for data, analysis and best practices in public policy. Its core aim is to set international standards, support their implementation, and help countries forge a path towards stronger, fairer and cleaner societies.

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