Jobs and livelihoods are the engine of everyday life: they shape identity, wellbeing, and how communities care for each other and the planet. Around the world, work is being reshaped by automation, AI, climate transition, demographic change, and new forms of enterprise, which makes it essential to rethink what “good work” means now and for the future.
Jobs – Meaningful, future ready livelihoods
Work is more than income. It is a way to contribute, express creativity, practice responsibility, and build dignity. A healthy society aims for meaningful work for everyone: work that uses people’s real talents, answers local needs, and stays within ecological limits.
Today, global labour markets are under pressure: some regions face high youth unemployment and informal work, while others face skill shortages in care, green technologies, and digital fields. At the same time, many people are stuck in jobs that damage health or environment, or that offer little security or meaning. Future ready communities will not wait passively for global trends; they will actively shape local job ecosystems that are fair, resilient, and aligned with long term wellbeing.
This component invites communities to explore how to create and support work that strengthens both people and place.
Key principles for a healthy job ecosystem
1. Future-Proof Skills
Communities must train people in adaptable skills — technology, creativity, ecological knowledge, and collaborative problem-solving.
2. Local Economy First
Prioritize local producers, local technologies, and community enterprises to build economic independence.
3. Meaning Over Money
Encourage roles that contribute to well-being — teaching, caregiving, farming, environmental restoration — not just high-income roles.
4. Fairness & Equal Access
Ensure equal opportunities for women, youth, immigrants, elders, and differently-abled members.
5. Sustainable Job Creation
Focus on employment that regenerates land, community, and culture instead of depleting them.
6. Lifelong Learning & Upskilling
Offer continuous learning pathways so people can adapt as technology and society evolve.
Why Jobs Matter for whole communities?
- Economic Stability & Security
Work provides financial stability for individuals and families, forming the backbone of a thriving community. - Personal Fulfilment & Purpose
Meaningful jobs give people a sense of identity, direction, and contribution. - Social Harmony & Inclusion
Employment reduces social inequality and creates opportunities for collaboration and shared growth. - Community Self-Sufficiency
Local jobs keep skills, knowledge, and income within the community instead of relying on external systems. - Innovation & Future Readiness
Adaptive, future-focused employment makes a society resilient to global economic and technological changes.
The Future of Work — What Will Matter Most?
Future jobs will be shaped by automation, AI, ecological restoration, decentralization, and human-centered innovation.
Communities must prepare their people with skills such as:
- Digital literacy & AI collaboration
- Green economy & ecological restoration
- Local manufacturing and handicrafts
- Regenerative agriculture & food systems
- Healthcare, wellness, and caregiving
- Creative, cultural, and linguistic preservation
- Community-based problem solving & leadership
The goal is not to replace old jobs but to combine traditional wisdom with modern needs to build a resilient future.
Key Areas to Focus On
- Skills for the Future
- Digital tools, automation, and AI-assisted work
- Renewable energy, sustainable farming, circular economy
- Health, wellness, holistic healing, and elderly care
- Local Livelihood Systems
- Encouraging local business
- Reviving traditional crafts and skills
- Community markets, cooperatives, fair-trade networks
- Education–Employment Alignment
- Practical skills training
- Apprenticeships and mentorship
- Community-based learning centers
- Remote & Hybrid Work Integration
- Internet access
- Shared workspaces
- Remote job training
- Entrepreneurship & Small Businesses
- Micro-business support
- Social enterprise models
- Zero-bureaucracy local startup encouragement
- Jobs That Support Sustainability
- Eco-design, repair & reuse services
- Community energy systems
- Urban farming and biodiversity restoration
Vision
A world where every person has a role, where work gives dignity, where jobs serve both the individual and the planet, and where communities thrive through shared skills and shared purpose.
How to Contribute:
You can help turn this Jobs / Work & Meaningful Livelihoods component into a living resource by:
- Sharing local stories of meaningful jobs, cooperatives, and social enterprises—what worked, what did not, and why.
- Offering mentorship, guidance, or training in any skill (manual, digital, artistic, caregiving, organizational).
- Co creating local businesses, repair services, or care initiatives that others can learn from and replicate.
- Documenting traditional crafts, trades, and community roles that risk being lost, and exploring how they can be updated for today’s needs.
- Building or contributing to open directories of meaningful work opportunities, learning resources, and toolkits.
These contributions help communities everywhere imagine and build job ecosystems that are not only economically viable, but also humane, creative, and regenerative.
