Every student's safety comes first.
VectorLab works directly with minors through 1-to-1 and peer mentorship. This is our commitment to keeping that relationship safe, respectful, and accountable — for mentees, families, mentors, and partners alike.
This policy is being finalized
[Placeholder] The framework below reflects the principles VectorLab is committed to. The full, board-approved policy document — including reporting procedures and named safeguarding leads — will replace this page before public launch. Do not treat this page as a substitute for a complete, legally reviewed child-protection policy.
What every family and mentor can expect.
1. Mentor screening and vetting
[Placeholder] Every mentor — whether a peer mentor, seminar speaker, or 1-to-1 check-in lead — will complete an application, an interview, and a background/reference check before being matched with any student. Peer mentors who are themselves minors will always be supervised by a vetted adult coordinator.
2. Communication guidelines
[Placeholder] All mentor-mentee communication takes place through channels VectorLab can monitor (e.g. a shared platform or group setting), never through a mentor's personal, unsupervised phone number or social media. One-to-one video or in-person sessions follow a visibility policy — for example, a parent, guardian, or staff member aware of the meeting time and able to check in.
3. Parental / guardian consent
[Placeholder] Any mentee under 18 requires signed parent or guardian consent before joining, along with emergency contact information. Parents can request a summary of their child's mentorship activity at any time.
4. Reporting a concern
[Placeholder] Any student, parent, mentor, or partner who has a concern — about a mentor's conduct, another student's wellbeing, or anything else — can report it confidentially to a named Safeguarding Lead. Reports are taken seriously, investigated promptly, and never dismissed or minimized.
Report a concern: safeguarding@vectorlabmentors.org [Placeholder — set up this inbox and route it to a real, responsible person before launch.]
5. Training
[Placeholder] All mentors and staff complete safeguarding training before working with students, and refresh it periodically. Training covers recognizing signs of distress or abuse, appropriate boundaries, and how to report a concern.
6. Data privacy
[Placeholder] Student information (contact details, academic records, session notes) is stored securely, accessible only to relevant staff and mentors, and never shared with third parties without consent — except where required by law or to protect a student's safety.
Have a safeguarding question before applying?
Reach out — we'd rather answer it now than have it be a concern later.