Community Guidelines

Our Values

HeloDear is built on the belief that everyone deserves to be heard. Our community thrives when every member — user and listener alike — commits to these core values:

• Empathy: Approach every interaction with genuine care and understanding.
• Respect: Treat every person with dignity, regardless of their background or struggles.
• Safety: Prioritize the emotional and physical safety of yourself and others.
• Honesty: Be authentic in your interactions while respecting boundaries.
• Confidentiality: What's shared in a session stays in a session.

Guidelines for Users

What We Encourage

• Be open and honest about what you're going through
• Treat your listener with respect and kindness
• Give feedback after sessions to help us improve
• Use the block and report features if you feel uncomfortable
• Seek professional help when your needs go beyond emotional support

What We Ask You Not to Do

• Do not attempt to obtain personal information from listeners (real name, location, contact details)
• Do not use sessions to solicit romantic or sexual interactions
• Do not share explicit, violent, or harmful content
• Do not record sessions without explicit consent
• Do not use the platform for commercial purposes or spam
• Do not create multiple accounts to circumvent bans

Guidelines for Listeners

Core Responsibilities

• Maintain strict confidentiality of all user communications
• Never attempt to identify users or contact them outside the platform
• Stay within your role as a supportive listener — do not provide medical, legal, or financial advice
• Clearly communicate your boundaries and end sessions that make you uncomfortable
• Report any safety concerns to the HeloDear team immediately
• Complete all required training and re-certifications on time

Active Listening Standards

• Give users your full attention during sessions
• Avoid judgment, unsolicited advice, or minimizing feelings
• Use reflective listening and open-ended questions
• Acknowledge and validate emotions without projecting your own
• Know when to refer users to professional resources

Professionalism

• Be punctual and reliable — if you accept a session, show up
• Maintain a calm, supportive demeanor even in difficult conversations
• Take care of your own mental health — use our listener support resources
• Disclose any conflicts of interest to the HeloDear team

Zero Tolerance Behaviors

The following behaviors will result in immediate and permanent account termination with no appeal:

Crisis Situations

HeloDear is not a crisis intervention service. However, we take crisis situations seriously:

If You Are in Crisis

• Contact emergency services immediately (112 in India, 911 in the US)
• Call a crisis helpline: iCall (9152987821) or Vandrevala Foundation (1860-2662-345)
• Our crisis-trained listeners can provide support while you seek professional help

For Listeners Encountering Crisis

• Stay calm and do not end the session abruptly
• Use the in-app crisis escalation button to alert our safety team
• Provide emergency resource information to the user
• Follow the crisis protocol from your training
• Document the interaction and report to the HeloDear safety team

Listeners who encounter crisis situations will receive follow-up support from our team. Your wellbeing matters too.

Reporting Violations

We rely on our community to help maintain these standards. Here's how to report:

• In-session: Use the report button within the active session interface
• After a session: Use the report option on the session summary screen
• Via email: [email protected] for urgent safety concerns
• Via support: Contact form for non-urgent reports

All reports are reviewed within 24 hours. Your report is always anonymous. We will never reveal your identity to the person you report.

Enforcement

We take a graduated approach to enforcement based on the severity and frequency of violations:

• Warning: For minor first-time violations with educational context provided.
• Temporary suspension: For repeated minor violations or moderate violations.
• Permanent ban: For severe violations or repeated moderate violations.
• Immediate permanent ban: For zero-tolerance violations (see above).

We aim to be consistent and fair in our enforcement. All enforcement decisions are made by trained human reviewers, not automated systems alone.

Appeals

If you believe an enforcement action was taken in error, you may appeal within 30 days of the action:

• Email [email protected] with your username and a description of why you believe the action was incorrect
• Appeals are reviewed by a different team member than the one who made the original decision
• We aim to respond to appeals within 7 business days
• Zero-tolerance violations are not eligible for appeal

Contact Us

For questions about these Community Guidelines or to report a concern:

• Safety concerns: [email protected]
• Appeals: [email protected]
• General questions: Contact form

Thank you for being part of the HeloDear community. Together, we can create a space where everyone feels safe to be heard.