Terms of use

The service

ELMYOLU is a free platform that introduces children to volunteer teachers and connects families with people who want to help directly with things and time. It does not accept payments, charge commission or arrange money aid.

Your account

• Only people aged 18 or over may open an account. For a child under 18, a parent or legal guardian makes the request.
• Each person has one account. You are responsible for the accuracy of your details and for keeping your password safe.

Parents

• You are responsible for the requests you send for a child and the consent you give.
• We recommend that you stay with your child, especially in the first lessons.

Volunteer teachers

• A teacher profile is published after a coordinator has checked it. If an uploaded document has been checked, the profile says so; anything else written about education and experience is in the teacher’s own words.
• A teacher may not ask for money, gifts or services under any name.
• Teachers follow the Community guidelines and contact a child only through the parent.

Group classes

• A group class can be opened by a teacher whose document has been checked, with no more than 10 students. It is published after a coordinator approves it.
• The teacher accepts or declines requests and, if needed, can remove a student from the class with a reason.
• In a group lesson children see each other’s faces and first names. Sharing this outside the lesson is not allowed.

Messages

• Messages are possible only between a parent and a teacher who share a lesson or class. Do not share phone numbers, e-mail addresses or messenger links in messages.
• The rule: the ELMYOLU team can open a conversation only when there is a complaint about it or about that lesson, and only to investigate the complaint. Every opening is logged. There are no exceptions.

Video lessons

Lessons run on ELMYOLU’s own video server and are not recorded. Participants may not record lessons or take and share screenshots. Only the teacher can manage the room.

Support portal

• Help is given only as things (books, supplies, devices) or time, directly between the people involved. Asking for or offering money is not allowed.
• ELMYOLU is not a party to arrangements between participants, but it can hide suspicious listings and close accounts.

Expert volunteers and staff

Coordinators, moderators and expert volunteers see only the information in their own area, keep it confidential and use it only for their role at ELMYOLU.

Not allowed

• Asking a child for personal details, photos or a meeting; contacting a child without the parent knowing.
• Insults, pressure, threats or discrimination.
• Advertising, selling, or asking for money or gifts.
• Opening an account in someone else’s name or giving false information.
• Recording lessons or spreading other people’s information.

When rules are broken

ELMYOLU can hide content that breaks the rules, stop lessons, and suspend or close an account. If a child is in real danger, information may be passed to the relevant authorities.

Liability

ELMYOLU is run by volunteers. We do not guarantee the results of lessons or the help arranged through the portal. Except where the law does not allow liability to be excluded, we are not liable for what happens outside the platform.

Changes and contact

If we change these terms, we publish the new version here and tell you about important changes by e-mail. Questions: elmyolu@gmx.de.