Context

Philadelphia and Pennsylvania lag behind their peers in economic mobility.

One major result is the long-term absence of wealth in communities that cannot fully access economic opportunities. This lack of access excludes them from both financial success and the social benefits of personal freedom, health, stability, peace, opportunity, and a sense of wholeness.

That is not to say that talent or the desire to create wealth is lacking. In fact, our state and region are full of untapped potential.

To help communities realize this promise, The Wealth + Work Futures Lab and its partners aim to nurture well-being across several dimensions: family, work, social, spiritual, and psychological. We are investing in, designing, and launching a forward-thinking research and design engine.

This initiative will create new pathways for Philadelphia and Pennsylvania residents who have not always had access to traditional economic opportunities. It will open doors for healing, wealth building, and progress in economic and workforce development, while also strengthening our state and offering models for other communities across the nation.

Introducing The Wealth + Works Futures Lab

The Lab is:

• A Social Design Hub—A dynamic center that empowers companies to design, test, and launch innovative initiatives and new ways of working that enhance hiring and retention for residents across cities and rural areas, ensuring that all Americans have a chance to build healthy trajectories in work, wealth, and asset creation

• A Research Institute that investigates the future of work and wealth in cities and rural communities as they relate to human wellbeing

• A Collaborative Community of Practice that cross-pollinates learning on what works across both cities and rural communities

The seed for the The Wealth + Work Futures Lab emerged from earlier work led by Michael called The Metro Futures Coalition. The Metro Futures Coalition weaved together the expertise of workforce specialists, the ambition of young adults, the vision of employers, and the advocacy of champions who believe in change.

In collaboration with IDEO.org, we took a community-led approach, co-designing with practitioners, public sector leaders, employers, funders, and young adults to create the most cohesive, comprehensive pilot ideas and opportunities for collaborative action.

Together, we identified that:

• The unaddressed impact of trauma and the difficulty of meeting basic needs makes it hard for Opportunity Youth to plan for the future

• Employers need a compass to navigate the complexities of recruiting and supporting diverse talent

• The workforce development system is in need of greater cohesion

Metro Future Coalition Members include:

• Michael O’Bryan, Founder of Humanature, Distinguished Resident Fellow Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation

• Phil Brooks, Director, STEM Workforce Partnerships at the University City Science Center

• Gwyneth Gaul, VP, Strategic Partnerships & Community Impact, Comcast NBCUniversal

• Gianna Grossmann, Senior Director, Workforce Development, City of Philadelphia

• Julia Hillengas, Co-founder & Executive Director of PowerCorpsPHL

• Danae Mobley, Executive Director, 1Philadelphia, Chief Operating Officer, Coded by Kids

• Matt Riggan, Co-founder and Executive Director, Workshop School

• Sarah Steltz, Vice President, Economic Competitiveness at The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia

• Bethany Van De Water, Program Coordinator at YEAHPhilly