Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using Give Back Abroad ("GBA," "we," "us," or "our") at givebackabroad.org, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use our platform. We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time, and your continued use of the platform constitutes acceptance of any changes.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years of age to use Give Back Abroad. By creating an account, you represent and warrant that you are at least 18 years old and have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms of Service. If you are under 18, you may not use this platform.

3. Account Responsibilities

When creating and maintaining your account, you agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration.
• Maintain the security of your password and login credentials.
• Promptly update your account information if it changes.
• Accept responsibility for all activity that occurs under your account.
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account.

4. Platform Description & Nature of Service

Give Back Abroad is a platform and service to connect volunteers with host organizations and NGOs worldwide to enable cultural exchange, learning, and community service (collectively, the "Services").

You agree that GBA is not a party to any agreements entered into between volunteers and host organizations, nor is GBA a travel agency, an organized exchange program, an employment agency, an agent, or an insurer. GBA does not monitor, supervise, or control volunteers or host organizations and disclaims all liability in this regard.

GBA does not warrant any listing or quality of accommodation. You understand that the descriptions, images, and text on the platform are for information only and are the sole responsibility of the hosts and volunteers who post them.

GBA does not charge placement fees. The platform facilitates contact and connection only. All arrangements, agreements, and experiences between volunteers and hosts are made independently and at the sole discretion and risk of the parties involved.

5. User Conduct

You agree not to:

• Post spam, unsolicited advertisements, or promotional content.
• Harass, threaten, or intimidate other users.
• Provide false, misleading, or inaccurate information in your profile or applications.
• Use the platform for any illegal activity or purpose.
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to other users' accounts or platform systems.
• Impersonate another person or organization.
• Upload malicious software or content designed to harm the platform or its users.

6. Host/NGO Responsibilities

Host organizations and NGOs listed on our platform agree to:

• Provide accurate and truthful opportunity listings.
• Maintain safe environments for volunteers.
• Comply with all applicable local laws and regulations.
• Not charge volunteers any placement or registration fees through our platform.
• Respond to volunteer inquiries and applications in a timely manner.
• Report any issues or concerns to GBA promptly.

7. Volunteer Responsibilities & Assumption of Risk

Volunteers using our platform acknowledge and agree that:

• You are fully responsible for investigating whether your chosen host and the accommodation and opportunities they are offering are suitable for you and your needs.
• You are using Give Back Abroad entirely at your own risk and we expressly exclude all liability for any loss or damage you, your family, your reputation, your business, or your property may suffer as a result of using Give Back Abroad.
• You are solely responsible for complying with the relevant rules, laws, and entry requirements in your home or visiting jurisdiction, especially concerning applicable visas, work permissions, and insurance.
• GBA is not responsible for arranging documentation, including travel or health insurance, tickets, visas, vaccines, or any procedures related to local legislation. It is your responsibility to prepare and manage your own documentation.
• You agree that certain volunteer experiences may carry inherent risks, including illness, bodily injury, disability, or property loss, and that by participating in such experiences you choose to voluntarily assume such risks.
• You assume full responsibility for your choices before, during, and after participating in any volunteer opportunity found through GBA.
• Respect the rules and guidelines of host organizations.
• Fulfill commitments made to host organizations to the best of their ability.
• Behave ethically and respectfully toward hosts, communities, and fellow volunteers.
• Communicate openly with hosts about any concerns or changes to plans.

8. Content Ownership

You retain ownership of all content you submit to GBA, including profile information, reviews, messages, and application materials. By submitting content, you grant GBA a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, display, and distribute your content as necessary to operate the platform. You may request deletion of your content at any time by contacting us.

9. Reviews and Ratings

Reviews and ratings must be honest, accurate, and based on genuine experiences. GBA reserves the right to moderate, edit, or remove reviews that violate these terms, contain offensive language, or appear to be fraudulent. Users may not offer incentives in exchange for positive reviews or post reviews for experiences they did not have.

10. No Warranty & Limitation of Liability

GBA IS A CONTACT AND MATCHING PLATFORM ONLY. GBA IS NOT A PARTY TO ANY ARRANGEMENT, AGREEMENT, OR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VOLUNTEERS AND HOSTS.

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law:

• GBA provides the platform "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied.
• GBA does not guarantee, represent, or warrant the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or correctness of any information provided by hosts or volunteers on the platform.
• GBA shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the platform.
• GBA shall not be held liable for any damages of any nature, including but not limited to: accidents, injuries, illness, bodily harm, disability, death, property damage or loss, theft, adverse weather events, travel disruptions, personal disputes, emotional distress, or any other losses arising from volunteer experiences found through the platform.
• GBA is not liable for any actions or omissions of hosts, volunteers, or any third parties, nor for taking legal action or providing legal advice regarding any criminal or unlawful acts. Such events must be reported to and discussed directly with local authorities.
• GBA is not liable for any consequential losses caused by breaches of contract or of any statutory duty, negligence, or otherwise, suffered by any user.
• You acknowledge that in case you would seek any legal remedy for actions or omissions of volunteers, hosts, or any third parties, you will not claim any liability against Give Back Abroad.

GBA does not warrant that verification, identity checks, or review moderation conducted on users will identify past misconduct or prevent future misconduct. Any references to a user being "verified" or "approved" indicate only that the user has completed a relevant verification process and nothing else.

If you have statutory rights or warranties that cannot be disclaimed, the duration of any such statutorily required rights or warranties will be limited to the maximum extent permitted by law.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify Give Back Abroad against any claims, actions, proceedings, losses, damages, expenses, and costs (including without limitation court costs and reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in connection with your use of Give Back Abroad, any volunteer experience arranged through the platform, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any rights of a third party. This indemnification obligation survives the termination of your account and these Terms.

12. Termination

GBA reserves the right to suspend or terminate your account at any time, with or without notice, for conduct that we believe violates these Terms of Service, is harmful to other users or the platform, or is otherwise objectionable. You may also delete your account at any time by contacting us. Upon termination, your right to use the platform will immediately cease.

13. Governing Law

These Terms of Service shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any legal action or proceeding arising under these Terms shall be brought exclusively in the courts located in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

14. Dispute Resolution

In the event of any dispute arising from these Terms or your use of the platform, you agree to first attempt to resolve the dispute informally by contacting us at info@givebackabroad.org. If the dispute cannot be resolved informally within 30 days, either party may pursue formal legal remedies as described in the Governing Law section above.

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us at: