Safeguarding Policy

Eldercraft exists to connect skilled older people with those who want to learn from them. Safety is the foundation that makes that exchange possible — for mentors, for seekers, and for the families and organisations that support them. This policy explains what we do, what we ask of you, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Who this policy protects

• Older mentors — from financial exploitation, coercion, identity fraud, and unsafe in-person meetings.
• Seekers and learners — including those under 18 working with a mentor through a school, guild or parent.
• Families and supporters — who may be helping a mentor manage their account or engagements.
• Communities and taonga — particularly indigenous and Pacific knowledge, which is held under kaitiaki-led terms.

Tiered trust badges

Every profile carries a visible trust tier. You always know how much verification has been done before you choose to connect.

1. Email & phone verified — basic contactability.
2. ID verified — government-issued ID checked by a third-party provider. Documents are not stored on Eldercraft.
3. References checked — at least two independent referees contacted by our team.
4. Skills vetted — credentials, prior work or a portfolio reviewed by a domain expert from the relevant guild or society.
5. Board-ready — additional governance and director-suitability checks for non-executive and advisory roles.

Cross-referencing against public sources

Every entry is cross-referenced against publicly available sources to confirm the person and the claims they make. This happens at signup and is repeated on a regular cycle — not just when something goes wrong. Sources we check include:

• LinkedIn and other professional networks for career history and endorsements.
• Governance bodies such as the Institute of Directors (IoD NZ & AICD in Australia), professional registers, and chartered-body membership lists.
• Heritage societies, guilds, trade associations and social clubs the mentor names as referees or affiliations.
• Public social media presence, press coverage, published work, exhibitions, awards and patents.
• Companies Office / ASIC records where directorships or governance roles are claimed.

Where a public record contradicts a profile, the entry is paused and the mentor is contacted before it goes back on the directory.

How introductions work

Eldercraft moderates first contact. Seekers cannot message mentors directly until we have reviewed the request. Personal contact details (phone numbers, home addresses, payment details) are never shown on public profiles and are not exchanged through the platform until both parties have agreed to proceed.

In-person meetings

• First meetings should be in a public place or supervised workshop, not a private home.
• A trusted third party (family member, guild representative, or workshop host) is recommended for the first session.
• We provide a meeting-safety checklist to both parties before any in-person engagement.

Working with under-18s

Where a seeker is under 18, engagements must be arranged through a school, guild, club or parent/guardian account. A responsible adult must be present or accountable for every session. Mentors working regularly with minors are asked to complete a working-with-children check appropriate to their jurisdiction (e.g. Police vetting in New Zealand, Working With Children Check in Australia).

Money and exploitation

• Eldercraft does not handle payments between mentors and seekers. Fees, invoicing and any contract terms are agreed directly between the two parties.
• We never ask mentors to send money, gift cards or bank details to a seeker, and we will never ask you for your password, full bank login, or remote access to your computer.
• We monitor for high-pressure tactics, romance-scam patterns, and requests to move conversations off-platform early, and we will warn both parties when we see them.

Indigenous and Pacific knowledge

Skills connected to Māori, Pasifika and other indigenous traditions are listed under kaitiaki-led terms. The community holding that knowledge sets who may teach it, who may learn it, and on what conditions. Eldercraft does not override those terms.

Reporting concerns

If you feel unsafe, pressured, or believe someone is being exploited, contact us immediately at safeguarding@insight-ai-systems.com. Urgent concerns about the immediate safety of a person should go to local emergency services first (111 in New Zealand, 000 in Australia), then to us.

Our response

Every report is reviewed by a named human within one business day. We can suspend accounts, freeze payments, remove listings, and — where appropriate — refer matters to Police, Netsafe, eSafety Commissioner, or the relevant guild. We will keep you informed of the outcome to the extent privacy law allows.

This policy is reviewed on a regular quarterly cycle, with the next review scheduled and published in advance — not driven by incidents. Last reviewed: May 2026.