Social Impact · Accessibility · Mobile
Helpers — connecting people with disabilities to volunteers nearby
Sometimes you just need a hand with a heavy door or a store without a ramp. Helpers is a non-profit app that makes asking for — and offering — small, everyday help safe and simple.
The problem
People with disabilities often need small, occasional help but feel unsafe asking strangers, and friends aren’t always available. At the same time, many people want to help — they just don’t know who needs it.
01 · Research
Two sides of one marketplace
I mapped both sides of the experience: the person asking for help and the volunteer offering it. A competitive audit of Be My Eyes, Access Now and The Mighty showed strong ideas — and a gap for in-person, local help.
Personas
- Michaela, 38 — a wheelchair user who manages on her own 90% of the time, but is too shy to call friends for small tasks and doesn’t trust strangers on the street.
- Jacob, 26 — a volunteer who believes small kind acts add up, but isn’t sure where his help is actually needed.
Testing the low-fi
I tested a low-fidelity prototype with five participants on three tasks: create a request, contact your helper and make a donation. Their click paths and comments shaped the navigation and the request flow.
02 · Solution
One app, two roles
01
Safety first
All volunteers go through a background check, and people asking for help can stay confidential.
02
Accessible by default
Built-in voice control for people with visual impairments, clear labels and large touch targets.
03
A loop of kindness
Requests, chat, reviews, and the option to say thank you with a tip or a donation.
Outcome
A validated concept with a safety-first flow on both sides of the marketplace — and a lesson I use on every project since: accessibility is not a feature list, it’s how you design every screen.