Trust, in plain language

What we promise · what we don't do yet · how to tell us when something feels off

Gather Nearby is in-person learning between people who often haven't met before. That carries a kind of trust we take seriously. This page is the honest version of what we do, what we don't do, and what to expect when something goes sideways.

We'd rather you read this once and book with confidence than wonder later. If anything below feels misleading or wrong, write [email protected] and we’ll fix it.

Coming to a class

  • Hosts must verify their email before publishing. A Stripe badge means the host has an active payment account; it does not mean we ran a background check or verified credentials.
  • Class listings show the available venue or address details up front so you can plan before reserving.
  • Refunds, in plain English:
    • Cancel 48+ hours out → full refund, guaranteed. That's a platform-wide floor — it holds even if the teacher set a stricter policy.
    • Cancel within 48 hours → it depends on the class's cancellation policy, shown on the class page before you book. Each class uses one of four — Flexible, Moderate, Strict, or Non-refundable — and the refund steps down the closer you cancel to the start.
    • Teacher cancels → 100% back to your original payment method, guaranteed. We may also offer a courtesy account credit as a goodwill gesture; the refund happens either way.
  • Every listing tells you about stairs, parking, restrooms, and noise level. If one doesn't, that's a bug — tell us.
  • If something feels off — before, during, or after — tap Report a concern on the booking, profile, or message. See below for what happens next.
  • Code of conduct: come in good faith, make space for difference, no sales pitches or recruiting. Teachers owe you the same.

Teaching a class

  • Show up. If you can't, cancel as early as you can — students get a full refund automatically.
  • Describe the where, the who, and the what — accurately. Surprises kill trust.
  • Don't pitch other things during class. They came for the thing.
  • You're an independent host using our tools. We help fill seats and move money; we don't tell you how to teach.
  • You can teach anywhere — here, off-platform, your own site. We don't penalize you for it.
  • Reports against you go through a human review. You'll be told what was reported, given a chance to respond, and can appeal any decision through the appeal form.

What “verified” means — and doesn't

Our launch trust floor for an adult host is:

  • A verified email address before the host can publish a gathering.
  • Acceptance of the community guidelines and the adult-only launch rules.
  • For paid gatherings, an active Stripe Connect account before we process payments for the host.

A profile may include a phone number, website, social account, credential, or prior experience supplied by the host. Unless the page names a specific check, those are self-reported and are not a Gather Nearby verification.

What we do not currently do:

  • Youth-class background checks. Classes involving participants under 18 are not publishable until the host has an approved youth background check and child-safety training record.
  • General government-issued ID verification. Stripe may collect identity or business information to enable payment capabilities, but our Stripe badge only represents an active payment account. It is not a general safety clearance.
  • Credential or license verification. If a teacher claims a credential, that’s their representation, not ours. Ask. Spot-check.

Higher-risk formats such as adult one-on-one meetings and private-residence gatherings need stronger gates before we treat them as launch-ready. Until those gates are implemented, do not treat an email or Stripe badge as evidence that a host is safe to meet privately.

Address details

Class listings show the available street address, venue, or city details before booking. Hosts who use a home address attest at signup that the listing address matches the address on file.

If you need more arrival details for mobility planning, arranged transport, or childcare, message the teacher before you reserve.

If something feels off

Tap Report a concern on the booking, profile, message, or class page. You can also email [email protected] directly.

Our response-time goals:

  • Safety reports: our goal is to respond within 24 hours. Reports flagging a serious or imminent risk are reviewed as promptly as possible.
  • Non-safety reports (no-shows, misleading listings, fraud, conduct concerns): our goal is to respond within 3 business days.

We are a small team. If you're in danger right now, call 911. We are not 24/7 emergency response and won't pretend to be. Tell us afterward and we'll handle the platform side.

Reporters can request anonymity from the person they're reporting; we'll honor that wherever investigating allows. Retaliation against someone who files a report is itself a violation — tell us if it happens.

What we ask teachers to disclose on every listing

The listing form requires teachers to answer the following before publishing — there is no “skip” option:

  • Stairs (none, a few, many).
  • Parking situation.
  • Restroom availability.
  • Sensory profile (loud / quiet / scented / kid-present).
  • Whether minors are in the space.
  • Whether pets are present.

If you have an access need not on this list, message the teacher. We'd also like to know — that's how the list grows.

Money: how it moves and when

Payments are processed by Stripe; Gather Nearby never sees your full card number. The teacher receives the class fee minus our service fee and Stripe's fee a few days after the class takes place — not before. That window is what lets us resolve disputes before money has changed hands.

For chargebacks and disputes filed with your bank, we'll provide whatever documentation we have. We do not file chargebacks on your behalf.

Extenuating-circumstances refunds (serious illness, family emergency, weather, a significantly misrepresented class) sit outside the standard window. Email [email protected] within 14 days of the affected class with whatever documentation you have.

What we still need to grow into

We'd rather be honest about v1 limits than pretend they don't exist:

  • No 24/7 staffed safety line. We aim to respond to safety reports within 24 hours and other reports within 3 business days; outside business hours it's best-effort.
  • No youth classes until background-check, training, supervision, consent, and counsel-review gates are complete.
  • No verified-venue program. Coming after first cohort of teachers.
  • No in-class check-in (post-start safety ping). Coming post-launch.

If any of those would change your decision to book or teach, please tell us. The roadmap moves with the gaps that matter most to real users.

The bigger frame

We are a platform, not a chaperone. We pre-screen listings, we respond to reports, we run audit trails on every moderation decision. We do not stand between you and your teacher in the room. The safety of the moment is yours and theirs — trust your gut, pick venues you're comfortable with, leave when something feels wrong.

For the longer norms version, see our Community Guidelines. For the legal version, see our Terms of Service. For data and privacy, see our Privacy Policy.

Reach us

This page describes how Gather Nearby operates and the standards we hold ourselves to. It is informational and updated from time to time as our practices evolve. In the event of any conflict between the statements on this page and Gather Nearby's Terms of Service or Privacy Policy, those binding documents govern. Nothing on this page creates additional legal obligations beyond what is stated in those documents.