Community guidelines
A community built on respect and responsibility.
Hearing someone’s story is a responsibility.
These guidelines help everyone feel safe enough to share. By joining a Circle, gathering or online space, you agree to follow them.
What we ask of every member
Seven things we ask of everyone.
- 01
Respect people’s experiences.
Everyone’s circumstances differ. Don’t dismiss, minimise or compare someone else’s difficulties.
- 02
Protect privacy.
What’s shared in a Circle stays there. Don’t share another member’s identity, story, messages or photos outside the community without their permission. Don’t record sessions or take screenshots.
- 03
Never pressure anyone to share.
Listening is participation too. No one has to disclose more than they want to.
- 04
Share, don’t instruct.
Offer your own experience and perspective. Don’t diagnose others, insist they follow your advice or present opinions as medical or clinical guidance.
- 05
Respect boundaries.
Harassment, threats, discrimination, bullying and unwanted contact, including private messages after someone has said no, are not tolerated.
- 06
Keep the space safe.
Don’t promote products, services or causes, and don’t offer or encourage drugs, alcohol, betting or other harmful behaviour. Please avoid graphic detail about self-harm, suicide or abuse, which can distress others.
- 07
Know the limits of peer support.
Members aren’t responsible for treating one another or managing emergencies. If someone seems at risk, alert the facilitator. If danger is immediate, call emergency services.
Safeguarding and crisis support →
Holding the space
What facilitators do.
Facilitators set the tone, keep conversations respectful and on topic, and may pause a discussion, speak to someone privately or share support resources. They are trained to follow our safeguarding procedure, but they are not therapists.
Please know
Confidentiality has limits.
We ask all members to keep what they hear private, but we can’t guarantee that everyone will. Share only what you’re comfortable sharing. Where there’s a serious risk of harm, or a child or vulnerable adult may be at risk, we may need to act. See our Safeguarding page and Privacy Policy.
If guidelines aren’t followed
Fair, and in proportion.
We’ll respond fairly and in proportion. Depending on what happened, we may:
- 1
Remind the member of the guidelines
- 2
Ask them to leave a session
- 3
Pause or end their membership
Serious conduct, such as threats, harassment or putting someone at risk, can lead to immediate removal. Where someone’s safety is at risk, we may also involve emergency services.
Raising a concern
Something felt wrong?
If something in a Circle or gathering felt wrong, or you’re worried about another member, contact us. We take every concern seriously, keep it as confidential as possible and respond within 24 hours. If you disagree with a decision about your membership, reply and we’ll review it.
safeguarding@encirkle.orgOur Circles and events offer peer support and education. They are not therapy or emergency services.