’Nagy Lépés’ courier company – entirely unique in Europe – works with disabled people in Budapest
The courier company’s employees are autists, people with Asperger Syndrome and someone with a slight degree of intellectual disability, too. “It was not a conscious decision, but rather it was that mainly autists came to us. A lot of people think that this job is not for them, but our couriers are very reliable, they tackle their task well” – Kriszti disperses the misconception right at the beginning – can be read on Forbes.hu.
The idea of a workplace where disabled people can work came thousands of miles from Budapest.
Levente Erős got inspired during his 2016 student exchange program,
when, in Toronto, he came across two courier companies who employed intellectually disabled and autistic people. When he arrived home, he visited Kriszti, a remedial teacher, and asked her whether she wanted to create something similar in Budapest.
Kriszti is good at communicating with people while Levente, who has played many different roles in different courier companies over the years such as courier, marketing person, consultant, system developer, and even had his own company (Kantaa), is an expert of the market.
They started to work on their idea and made a business plan, then, in February 2017, they started their business.
Unique in Europe
“There is a long training process and a trust relationship between the colleagues, that is why the company works so well” – says Kriszti.
During the training, they escort the couriers individually, find out what field or situation is problematic for them, then they talk this through and help them to react properly to situations, and they analyse how people reacted to the flyers.
There is also another programme in Hungary that involves autistic people but, in this case, they produce art in a special way.
Alongside the two founders, there are four disabled couriers, a coordinator and a salesman on an ad-hoc basis. Their main activity is to give out flyers for theatres and cultural events in the centre of Budapest. They undertake parcel delivery as well, but their clients are primarily businesses.
Their couriers work 4 hours a day and visit 15-16 addresses.
„Sometimes they have to deliver the package on the same day or the next morning to a totally unfamiliar address” – says Kriszti. Csilla had such a task: “I was frightened when they told me that I have another address, but I solved the task and did not freak out for weeks.”
The founders do not know about any similar courier company in Europe, but
they would like to expand in Hungary
first. Levente sees the possibility of expansion in parcel delivery, and they try to aim for a sustainable business. “It would be great to come up with a new service next year, such as delivery across cities.”
There is a courier company in Hungary which earned an award.
Featured image: www.facebook.com/NagyLepes
Source: forbes.hu