Helping, and thereby getting to know the other person, is learned during the process

When talking about helping people with special needs or the elderly, many accidentally believe that helping means 24-hour care that is accompanied by several boring tasks. Those who have offered a helping hand, know very well that helping is useful to both parties and it definitely cannot be called taking care of someone, let alone a boring job.

Kerstin confirmed that she has left every meeting with a good feeling and has clearly sensed that she can have an effect on someone else’s well-being. «I recommend to research about Helpific and weigh the idea of helping,” she says confidently.

Kerstin Anneljas has answered to so many different help requests through Helpific that she has lost count. According to her words, Kerstin started to use Helpific in order to give her contribution to changing the society. The experiences she has gained through Helpific have been different. “The experiences have mainly been related to getting to know special needs and with respect to the specifics of the concern I have realised what it is that creates worries to these people,” told Kerstin. But every time there has been one common denominator: Kerstin has realised that the service of a personal helper or financial contributions are extremely poor and at the best of times cover only the minimum necessity of the person who needs help.

In addition to this, all those times have taught her quite a lot about herself. “I have learned to highly value my managing and to further notice people with special needs around me and at the same time I have lost the fear coming from lack of knowledge to turn to an unknown person who needs help,” she said. Kerstin brought an example, when she noticed a boy standing in the supermarket line, who according to her had the behavioural traits referring to autism spectre. “I didn’t feel particular discomfort and I turned to him to find out if he was with someone in the supermarket. His accompany soon came out from behind the counters and I managed to tell the boy to take it easy with the self-service remotes. Later he came to help me with labelling near the weighing till,” recalled Kerstin who had not faced people with autism spectrum before, but nevertheless it was easy for her to understand the boy. According to Kerstin there are two fine features that connect all people with special needs: they are sincere and straightforward. “I believe that it would simplify the communication and way of life for all of us if we were more open and straightforward every day,” she stated.

According to Kerstin she has never felt like she was about to become someone’s personal helper when answering to help requests in Helpific. “Every time I have felt as if I would meet someone new. The fact that I casually help them – mainly with transport or daily activities –, is common when meeting people without special needs as well. We won’t just sit on our hands when our friend has heavy bags to carry,” she said. In the very beginning she felt a little awkward as she didn’t know exactly what to do and was worried that she is not qualified to help someone but that’s the magic of it – you will learn through the process and through this you will get to know the other person. Communication is the main source of information.

Helpific is mainly directed to people with special needs and the elderly for communicating their help requests, but helping is equally important for the person who needs help as well as the person who offers help. Kerstin confirmed that she has left every meeting with a good feeling and has clearly sensed that she can have an effect on someone else’s well-being. «I recommend to research about Helpific and weigh the idea of helping,” she says confidently.

If you also wish to help along to Helpific activities, read more about Helpific current Kickstarter campaign «To live by yourself, to be responsible by yourself!». If you want to respond to the help requests or need help, join Helpific page at www.helpific.com. Your contribution will not remain unnoticed!