Students of the University of Wisconsin La Crosse are looking in to starting a program that would allow residents of the community to hire student help for various needs. The program is called the Family Helper list and has been used at other universities such as the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. The program, if implemented, would be run on a website by volunteer students. Community members could select a service they need help in and hire a student. The idea is that community members may find students to be a sufficient option for a task they do not want to hire out but cannot do themselves. It also provides a cheaper option for the consumer and gives students the chance to work for some side cash. The helper list would include but not be limited to services such as baby/child sitting, landscape work, pet care and so much more. Community consumers can negotiate a price with numerous students who are categorized by their particular skill set. The site offers previous prices accepted by students to give consumers an idea of what the going rate is. Students communicate with the consumer and act as an employee. There are no set contracts and the consumer is not obligated to use the service or same employee after the initial use. The Family Helper List gives students with unique work experience or skills to make money without committing much of their time if they have few hours to work between school and other activities. It is a similar site to care.com but it is not limited in childcare and not anyone can sign up. Only students of La Crosse University are allowed to sign up as a service provider.
A goal of the Family Helper List is to build community relations within the college community. A big factor when hiring help for work is how much you trust the person you are hiring. Consumers of the Family Helper List can feel more assured they are hiring a student looking to make money for rent or school rather than a professional who can charge more for the same work. One popular service that is offered through the program is tutoring. Parents of the community can hire students that attend the university and even are majoring in the field they are looking to hire a tutor for. This ensures parents the tutor they are hiring not only knows the information but also has resources to aid in the process. The student benefits by being able to apply the knowledge they have learned and are learning.
Currently the website is in the beginning stages and is being developed more every day. Students of a small business class are researching ways to improve the website and where interest is highest for services. This research will be applied to what already exists in order to improve the experience for all parties. The program hopes to better understand what students are looking for and interested in when signing up for the program. Also, the Family Helper list is working to assure potential consumers that they will receive a quality product and it is worth them trying out. Programs that have shown more interest, such as child care, are receiving special attention so that parents can be assured of their child provider.
A goal of the Family Helper List is to build community relations within the college community. A big factor when hiring help for work is how much you trust the person you are hiring. Consumers of the Family Helper List can feel more assured they are hiring a student looking to make money for rent or school rather than a professional who can charge more for the same work. One popular service that is offered through the program is tutoring. Parents of the community can hire students that attend the university and even are majoring in the field they are looking to hire a tutor for. This ensures parents the tutor they are hiring not only knows the information but also has resources to aid in the process. The student benefits by being able to apply the knowledge they have learned and are learning.
Currently the website is in the beginning stages and is being developed more every day. Students of a small business class are researching ways to improve the website and where interest is highest for services. This research will be applied to what already exists in order to improve the experience for all parties. The program hopes to better understand what students are looking for and interested in when signing up for the program. Also, the Family Helper list is working to assure potential consumers that they will receive a quality product and it is worth them trying out. Programs that have shown more interest, such as child care, are receiving special attention so that parents can be assured of their child provider.