Living with a health condition, an adapted home, or reliance on assistive technology doesn't mean stepping back from work, learning or community — it often just means finding more flexible ways to stay in them. We'd always encourage doing this with the support of a trusted friend or family member, especially when trying a new platform for the first time.
 
The ‘Gig’ or ‘On Demand’ Economy refers to the growing number of people leaving 9-5 or regular employment, instead preferring to pick up jobs or tasks.  
 
To find ride-sharing services in your area, see a worldwide list by city,  here.
 
There are four main reasons people in our community wish to use these services:
 
Work flexibly — using an existing skillset on your own hours
Support carers to stay engaged — paid work or community connection alongside, or between periods of, caregiving
Bring in everyday help — shopping, dog walking, gardening, tasks, food
Learn, connect and reduce loneliness — picking up a new topic or interest, purely for the sake of curiosity and connection
 
This last one matters as much as the others: learning something new — a language, a craft, an instrument — is one of the most reliable, low-cost ways to lift mood and quality of life, and many of the platforms below are free or nearly free.
Who it's for
 
A younger person managing a chronic illness who needs flexible hours; an older adult ageing in place who wants occasional help around the house; someone with a physical or sensory disability who wants to choose who comes into their home; a family carer wanting to keep a foothold in paid work or their own interests; someone recovering from surgery who needs short-term practical help; anyone who'd simply like to learn something new and meet people while doing it.
 
Platforms by category. 
Note that helloEd does not endorse or recommend these products, and provides them only as food for thought as a general set of service models available for consideration.
 
Flexible & remote work (Global)
Upwork, Fiverr, FlexJobs, We Work Remotely — freelance and remote-first work across writing, design, admin, photography, copy proofing, support desk and more.
 
Tutoring & teaching (Global)
Coursera, Skillshare, Preply, Superprof, Outschool — earn by teaching, or learn from others.
 
Learning for its own sake — quality of life & connection (Global, AU, UK)
YouTube — often called "YouTube University": thousands of free courses and tutorials on almost any topic, at your own pace
Coursera / FutureLearn / OpenLearn — free or low-cost university-level courses (FutureLearn and OpenLearn are UK-based, used worldwide)
Duolingo — free language learning
U3A (University of the Third Age) — community-run, low-cost classes and social groups for older adults, active in both Australia and the UK, built specifically around learning and connection
Meetup — find local interest-based groups (crafts, walking, book clubs, tech) — global, strong in both AU and UK cities
 
Home tasks, repairs, cleaning & gardening
Airtasker (Australia, UK, US)
Task Rabbit (US, Canada, UK)
Bark (UK, US, Canada, Australia)
Thumtack (USA, Canada)
 
Shopping, errands & food
Instacart, DoorDash, Uber Eats (US, Canada, AU), Deliveroo (UK and parts of Europe/Asia-Pacific)
 
Dog walking & pet care
Rover (US, Canada, UK, Europe); Mad Paws, now part of Rover Group (Australia)
 
Driving & transport to appointments
Uber Access / WAV / Assist (global, city-dependent — accessible vehicles, trained drivers); GoGoGrandparent (US — phone-based, no app needed, live family tracking)
 
Accessible accommodation
Airbnb's Accessibility Features filter (global) — step-free access, wide doorways, accessible bathrooms, confirmed per listing
 
Paid disability & aged-care support work
Mable (Australia — NDIS Worker Screening Check verification, ISO 27001 certified)
HireUp (Australia — fixed hourly rates)0
Care.com  (US, UK, Canada — background-checked care and household help