Youth safeguarding policy

Many JuniorRoute students are under 18. Connecting them with adults who work in tech is one of the most valuable things we do, and we take the responsibility that comes with it seriously. This policy explains how mentors are screened, how parents stay involved, the rules every mentor follows, and how to report a concern.

Who this covers

This policy applies to every mentor, reviewer, speaker and staff member who interacts with JuniorRoute students, and to every form of contact: introductions, emails, video calls, portfolio reviews and group sessions. Some rules apply to all students; the extra protections below apply whenever a student is under 18.

How we screen mentors

No mentor is visible to any student until they complete every step below.

• Identity: we confirm a photo ID matches the person on a live video call.
• Employment: we confirm they work where they say they work, beyond their online profile.
• Screening call: a conversation with our team about why they want to mentor and how they'll follow this policy.
• Safeguarding training: every mentor completes our training and a short knowledge check, and renews it every year.
• Signed code of conduct: every mentor signs the code of conduct below.

Students under 18 are only ever matched with mentors who have also passed a criminal background check through a professional screening provider, renewed every two years. Mentors who haven't, or whose check or training has expired, are hidden from students under 18 entirely. Our system enforces this automatically.

We can pause or remove any mentor at any time.

Parents and guardians stay involved

• Students under 18 need a parent or guardian's consent before they can request mentorship, reviews or introductions.
• Every introduction is made by JuniorRoute staff, never by a mentor contacting a student directly. When the student is under 18, we copy their parent or guardian on the introduction email.
• Parents and guardians are welcome to join any session.
• A parent or guardian can withdraw consent at any time by emailing hello@juniorroute.com. We end the mentorship right away.

Rules for every interaction with a student under 18

• Mentoring happens online, by video call or email. No in-person meetings.
• Email stays on threads that include the parent or guardian. No private messaging on social media, text or chat apps.
• Conversations stay focused on the student's education and career.
• No gifts, money, favors or requests for personal photos or information beyond what the mentoring needs.
• Mentors never ask a student to keep anything secret from their parents or from JuniorRoute.
• Mentors don't record sessions without the agreement of the student and their parent or guardian.

Mentor code of conduct

For students of every age, mentors agree to be respectful, honest and professional; not to harass, pressure or discriminate against anyone; not to ask students for money or sell them anything; to keep what students share private; and to tell us about any concern for a student's safety.

How to report a concern

Students can use Report a concern in their JuniorRoute dashboard (under Mentors & access) at any time. Anyone, including parents and mentors, can also email hello@juniorroute.com with “Safety concern” in the subject line. You don't need proof to report something that worries you.

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 (or your local emergency number) first.

Check-ins

Two weeks after every introduction, we ask the student how it's going (and copy their parent or guardian if they're under 18). If a student raises a concern, it's treated as a report.

What happens after a report

• The mentor involved is paused automatically the moment a report is filed: hidden from all students, with their connections on hold.
• We review safety reports as our first priority and aim to respond within one business day.
• Where the law requires it, or where we suspect a child is being harmed, we report it to the appropriate authorities, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).
• Mentors who break this policy are removed from JuniorRoute.

Tips for students

• Never share passwords, your home address or financial information with anyone you meet through JuniorRoute.
• If something a mentor says or asks makes you uncomfortable, you can stop the conversation. Tell a parent, a trusted adult or us.
• Reporting a concern will never get you in trouble with JuniorRoute.

Reviewing this policy

We review this policy at least once a year and whenever we change how mentorship works. Questions? Email hello@juniorroute.com.