New Spirit: Online Help Tool

I recently had an idea for an Online-Tool that allows a new form of help for other people.

General Idea

Person A that looks for help registers on that platform, gives some personal information, explains the task to the done and the place where it is needed. Person B who wants to offer help also registers with some personal information and maybe the region to offer help. Then either Person A can contact Person B or vice versa via a build-in mail system.

Example:

Person A bought a closet and now it needs to be assembled, but as Person A is alone, help is needed.

Person B is good at assembling things and willing to help.

So Person A and Person B clarify the date and the place and both are happy. Person A has received the much needed help and Person B wanted to help and now satisfied to do so.

In my imagination this platform is a bit like Google Maps with little dots where a person needs or offers help. Also with some kind of filter by tasks, regions or other criteria. You can the hover over the dots and get just a short information of the task:

A: A parent wants somebody to explain the kid some math stuff? Fine, I would do that.

B: Another person needs somebody to take care for the dog one weekend? Well, better skip that.

C: An elderly lady with a broken wrist needs a bit of help in the household? Ok, why not.

Security Problems

The only problem with that is security for both parties. The person who looks for help will have to give the address to a complete stranger and the person who offers help is going to a complete stranger. 

You could minimize that risk by implementing a registration process that doesn't allow anonymity by both parties, but then you have the issue of data privacy, because this would mean sending your ID to the operator of the Online-Tool or something like that. And the more bureaucracy, the more likely that only few people are willing to participate.

Another possibility could be a rating system. Every time help was given both parties can rate the other one. That allows skeptic people to start with persons that can be trusted and therefore overcoming their inhibitions. Becoming a trusted participant by sending your ID to the operator would be optional.

At the beginning you could also start by asking the other party to meet on "neutral" ground, e.g. a cafe, a place in public, whatever. Then you can get to know each other and maybe exchange IDs without sending it to another third party.

So I think these problems can be solved, maybe in a mix of the above mentioned possibilities.

Conclusion

I can't really assess whether this would be accepted or if there is a demand. This idea just came to me, because I really love to help people, but I don't want to be member of a local club or something similar. I want to decide when I offer help and for what, but I don't know who needs what kind of help. On the other hand I also think that persons who need help with something have the same problem: How the find a person that wants to help.

I am also aware that elderly people often have no access to computers or the internet. But maybe the local citizens' advice bureau could be involved in that project as well.

I would really love if this one day would be true, but unfortunately I would first need advise on how to create such a web page :).