This Acceptable Use Policy (the “Policy”) sets out how the Sobbatical Impact Hub (the “Platform”) and the technology behind it, provided by Sobbatical Impact Travel e.U. (hereinafter “Sobbatical”, together the “Services”), may not be used — and what happens when those rules are broken.
Its purpose is to keep the Platform safe and trustworthy: for the communities our partner organisations serve, for the people who volunteer with them, and for everyone who comes here in good faith to find one another. It applies to volunteers (“Volunteers”), non-profit partner organisations (“Partner Organisations”) and anyone acting on their behalf (together, “Users”).
This Policy lists specific prohibitions, but it is not a loophole hunt: conduct that clearly runs against the purpose and the values Sobbatical stands for is not acceptable here either, even where it is not spelled out below.
The terms used are gender-neutral. Last updated: 11 July 2026.
Users are responsible for their own actions and for the actions of anyone using the Services with their permission. This responsibility also extends to anyone who uses the Services without authorisation because a User failed to take reasonable security measures — for example by sharing login credentials or failing to protect them.
Users must keep their credentials confidential and notify us without undue delay at [email protected] if they suspect their account has been compromised. Complaints about the conduct of a User, or of someone acting on their behalf, will be forwarded to the contact registered for the account concerned.
The Services must not be used to transmit, distribute or store content that is unlawful. This includes, but is not limited to, content that:
Ownership of user content, the licence granted to Sobbatical, the responsibility of Users for the content they upload, and our takedown process are governed by Section 7 of the Service Terms and are not restated here.
The Services allow Users to contact one another. They must not be used to send unsolicited bulk or commercial messages ("spam") in breach of applicable law. This includes sending spam, soliciting Users on the basis of spam sent through other providers, and collecting replies to such spam. Contacting Volunteers or Partner Organisations for purposes unrelated to a placement — for example advertising unrelated products or services — is not permitted.
The Services must not be used to operate unconfirmed mailing or telephone lists. Subscribing an email address or telephone number to any list without the owner’s permission is prohibited. All messaging lists operated through the Services must be confirmed opt-in, and proof of the owner’s express permission must remain available for the lifetime of the list. Address or telephone lists purchased from third parties must not be used with the Services for messaging purposes.
This section applies to messages sent using the Services, and equally to messages sent from any other network by a User — or by someone acting on their behalf — which refer recipients directly or indirectly to content hosted through the Services.
The Services must not be used to advertise, transmit or otherwise make available software, programs, products or services designed to breach this Policy or the acceptable use policy of another provider. This includes providing the means to send spam, and network sniffing, pinging, packet spoofing, flooding, mail-bombing and denial-of-service attacks. In addition, the following are prohibited:
The integrity of the Platform depends on people and organisations being who they say they are. It is therefore prohibited to:
The Services — including profiles, listings and the in-app chat — must not be used to harass, threaten, abuse or discriminate against any group or individual, or to spread hate speech or advocate racial, ethnic or religious intolerance.
The standards of conduct that apply between a Volunteer and a Partner Organisation during a placement, including inclusion, non-discrimination, zero tolerance for harassment, and safeguarding, are set out in the Volunteering Charter (Sections 9 to 11) and are not repeated here. A breach of those standards is also a breach of this Policy, and we may act against the account concerned.
The Services may not be used by any person or entity involved in — or suspected of involvement in — activities or causes relating to illegal gambling; terrorism; narcotics trafficking; human trafficking; arms trafficking; or the proliferation, development, design, manufacture, production, stockpiling or use of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons, weapons of mass destruction, or missiles. This includes any affiliation with others who support such activities or causes. Users must comply with all applicable sanctions and export control regimes.
If you become aware of conduct that breaches this Policy, please report it to [email protected]. Where there is an immediate risk to a person’s safety, contact the local emergency services first.
Concerns about how a placement is going — safety, conduct or ethics on site — follow the route set out in Section 17 of the Volunteering Charter, including mediation by Sobbatical. Both routes lead to the same place: we take reports seriously, treat them confidentially as far as possible, and will not disadvantage anyone for raising a genuine concern in good faith.
If a User — or anyone acting on their behalf, or anyone using the Services as a result of that User — breaches this Policy, we may take any action we consider appropriate and proportionate. Depending on the severity, this may include a warning, the removal of content or a listing, the suspension of a placement, the suspension or termination of the account, and the termination of any Services associated with it. Where the circumstances require it, we may act without prior notice.
In serious cases — in particular those involving safeguarding, violence, sexual misconduct or serious crime — we will report the matter to the competent authorities. To the extent permitted by law, no compensation is available for any interruption of the Services resulting from a breach of this Policy. The general limitation of liability in the Service Terms applies.
This Policy sets out a non-exhaustive list of the activities we consider unacceptable and incompatible with what Sobbatical stands for.
Sobbatical may amend this Policy at any time. Amendments are published on the Platform and take effect upon publication; Users are informed of significant changes by email, in line with Section 8.4 of the Service Terms. Continued use of the Services after an amendment takes effect constitutes acceptance of the amended Policy.
This Policy forms part of the Service Terms (see Service Terms, Section 8.1). Applicable law and jurisdiction are governed by Sections 8.2 and 8.3 of the Service Terms. The German version of this Policy is authoritative; the English, French, Italian and Spanish versions are provided for information.
Sobbatical Impact Travel e.U. · Märzstraße 88/16 · 1150 Vienna · Austria · [email protected]