CODE OF ENGAGEMENT

1. Legal Status & Engagement Model

• Independent Volunteer / Contractor: Counsellors engage with Counsellia as independent volunteers or pro-bono service providers. Nothing in this agreement establishes an employer-employee relationship, agency, partnership, or joint venture. Participation as a volunteer does not guarantee paid employment; however, active volunteers in good standing may be prioritized for paid roles as funding and platform expansion allow.

• No Exclusivity: Counsellors retain full autonomy over their professional practices outside of Counsellia, provided external work does not create a direct conflict of interest or compromise client confidentiality.

2. Qualifications, Licensure & Credentials

• Verifiable Background: Counsellors represent and warrant that all professional qualifications, certifications, academic credentials, and identity documents provided during onboarding are accurate, authentic, and current.

• Scope of Practice: Counsellors agree to provide peer guidance, life coaching, or counseling strictly within the limits of their verified skill level and training.

• Duty to Disclose: Counsellors must immediately notify Counsellia administration if their license, certification, or professional standing undergoes any disciplinary action, suspension, or formal inquiry outside the platform.

3. Session Limits, Attendance & Reporting Rules

• Client Session Limit: Clients are entitled to a maximum of one (1) session per week. Counsellors must not schedule or promise additional weekly sessions without prior authorization from platform administration.

• Network Instability & 10-Minute Waiting Protocol: To account for potential internet connectivity or network issues, counsellors must wait a minimum of ten (10) minutes in the session room before declaring a client a "No-Show." If the client has not joined after 10 minutes, the session may be ended.

• Client 30-Day No-Show Ban (For Counsellor Awareness): Any client who misses a scheduled session without prior notice or fails to show up within the 10-minute window is subject to an automatic 30-day platform suspension/ban. Counsellors are strictly prohibited from issuing rebook links or manually rescheduling clients who have triggered a no-show ban without explicit administrative clearance.

• Pre-Rebooking Agreement: Before providing a rebook link to an eligible client for their next weekly session, the counsellor must directly agree on the specific date and time with the client.

• Post-Session Coordinator Update & Report Deadline: Counsellors must inform the Client & Scheduling Coordinator immediately upon concluding every session. The formal post-session summary report (including logging any client no-shows) must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM on the day of the session.

• Rescheduling Protocol: If a counsellor cannot attend a scheduled session due to an emergency, they must notify the Client & Scheduling Coordinator at least 12–24 hours in advance so the client can be promptly notified.

4. Client Privacy, Review Protocols & Boundaries

• Review Link Protocol: Counsellors must share the client feedback/review link at the end of the second session (or the final session of the engagement). The counsellor must remain on the chat and wait for the client to complete the review and revert back before officially ending the session.

• Prohibition of Personal Details: Counsellors are strictly forbidden from asking clients for personal contact details, residential addresses, personal social media handles, financial information, or any identifying credentials not required for the session.

• Client Anonymity: Counsellors must treat all client identities, session notes, personal disclosures, and contact details as strictly confidential.

• Data Handling: Session details shared by the operational team (e.g., booking forms, emails, notes) must be kept secure and must not be stored on public, shared, or unencrypted personal devices.

• Exceptions to Confidentiality (Duty to Protect): Confidentiality may be breached only in accordance with emergency protocols where there is a clear, imminent risk of serious harm:

  • Expressed intent of active suicide or severe self-harm.

  • Expressed intent of severe physical harm to another person.

  • Credible disclosures of active child abuse or exploitation.

5. Emergency & Crisis Management Protocol

• Non-Emergency Platform Disclaimer: Counsellia operates as an automated scheduling and guidance platform and is not equipped for real-time crisis intervention or psychiatric emergencies.

• Escalation Procedure: If a client exhibits active crisis behavior or severe psychological distress during a session, the counsellor must:

  1. Maintain a calm, supportive posture.

  2. Provide the client with immediate local emergency hotline numbers and crisis resources.

  3. Immediately alert the Counsellia Lead/Admin team via the internal emergency notification path for administrative log and follow-up.

6. Professional Ethics & Code of Conduct

• Strict Anti-Exploitation Policy: Counsellors are strictly forbidden from engaging in dual relationships, romantic/sexual advances, financial transactions, or emotional exploitation of any client.

• Non-Discrimination: Counsellors must deliver non-judgmental care to every client regardless of gender, tribe, religious beliefs, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background.

• Platform Exclusivity (No Off-Platform Migration): All communication, scheduling, and session hosting must occur through official Counsellia channels. Counsellors are strictly prohibited from soliciting clients to personal accounts, private phone numbers, or personal payment gateways.

7. Intellectual Property & Platform Content

• Proprietary Materials: All brand assets, domain materials, logos, automated templates, and platform resources provided by Counsellia remain the exclusive property of Counsellia.

• Content Use: Counsellors may not use Counsellia's name, logo, or reputation to endorse external products, services, or personal ventures without express written authorization from platform management.

8. Indemnification & Limitation of Liability

• Professional Responsibility: Counsellors retain full personal and professional responsibility for the advice, guidance, and support provided during their sessions.

• Indemnification: Counsellors agree to hold harmless Counsellia, its directors, and operational staff against any third-party legal claims, losses, or damages arising from professional negligence, willful misconduct, or unauthorized breach of client confidentiality by the counsellor.

9. Offboarding & Termination

• Mandatory 30-Day Notice Period: To safeguard client care continuity and allow adequate time for client re-assignment or case closure, counsellors agree to provide at least thirty (30) days prior written notice to Counsellia administration before offboarding or voluntarily stepping down from their role.

• Immediate Deactivation: Counsellia reserves the right to immediately suspend or terminate a counsellor's platform access in cases of verified ethics violations, client safety risks, unexcused no-shows, or breach of confidentiality.