Instructor Agreement

Organization: FundedYouth Academy Type: 501(c)(3) Nonprofit STEAM Educational Organization EIN: 93-4090260 Effective Date: Upon signing Contact: fundedyouth.org | +1 (619) 728-5002 Agreement Gate Key: instructor

1. What Is This Agreement?

FundedYouth Academy (“FundedYouth”) is a nonprofit organization that teaches kids and teens about Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) through hands-on projects in our makerspace.

This is the Instructor Agreement. It explains the rules, responsibilities, and expectations for anyone who wants to teach or instruct at FundedYouth — both through the online portal and in person. By signing this, you are saying you have read it, understand it, and agree to follow everything in it.

This agreement covers two things:

Portal access — As an instructor, you will gain access to the Students menu in the portal, which lets you manage courses, enroll students, award badges, and track progress.
In-person teaching — You agree to follow all rules for teaching students, learners, and interacting with parents at FundedYouth locations.

Signing this agreement does not automatically give you instructor access. A FundedYouth Administrator must review and approve your application. Only after you sign this agreement and an administrator approves you will the instructor features appear in your portal.

2. What Instructors Can Do

Once approved, you get access to the Students menu in your portal with the following tools:

Feature	What It Does
Categories	Create and manage course categories (like “3D Printing” or “Robotics”)
Curriculum	Build courses with sections and lessons for students to follow
Pathways	Create learning paths that guide students through a series of courses
Students	View a list of students and enroll them in courses
Badges	Create achievement badges and award them to students
Progress	Track how students are doing — enrollments, completions, and badges earned

What Instructors Cannot Do

You will not have access to:

User management (creating, editing, or deleting accounts)
Billing, payments, or invoices
Agreements or portal settings
Volunteer management
Notifications or audit logs
Any administrative functions outside of student academics

Your access is limited to teaching and student management only. This is by design to keep the portal secure.

3. Security and Student Data

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Is Required

Because you are accessing student information, you must set up Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) on your account. This is not optional — it is required for all instructors.

2FA adds an extra layer of security to your account. When you log in, you will enter your password and a short code from an authenticator app on your phone. This means that even if someone steals your password, they still cannot get into your account without your phone.

You will be asked to set up 2FA when you first access the instructor features. You will not be able to use the portal as an instructor until 2FA is enabled.

You Have a Responsibility to Protect Student Information

As an instructor, you will see some student information in the portal, including names, emails, enrollment status, and profile photos. You will not see sensitive personal information like dates of birth, parent contact details, or payment information — that is restricted to administrators only.

Even so, you must:

Always have 2FA enabled on your account. If you disable it, your instructor access may be suspended until it is turned back on.
Never share student information with anyone outside of FundedYouth.
Never use student information for anything other than FundedYouth teaching activities.
Never screenshot, copy, or export student data unless a FundedYouth administrator has given you permission.
Never access the portal from a shared or public computer without logging out when you are done.
Keep your login credentials private. Do not share your username or password with anyone. Your account is your responsibility — anything that happens on it is on you.

If You See Something Wrong

If you notice anything unusual with student data, accounts, or the portal — like information that should not be there or something that looks like a security issue — tell a FundedYouth administrator immediately.

4. Professionalism and Conduct

Whether you are teaching in person or interacting through the portal, you represent FundedYouth Academy. You are expected to act professionally at all times.

Be Professional and Appropriate

Be respectful, patient, and encouraging with all students, learners, and parents.
Use appropriate language at all times. No swearing, slurs, rude comments, or inappropriate jokes.
Dress appropriately when teaching or representing FundedYouth in person.
Be prepared and on time for any classes, workshops, or sessions you are leading.
Communicate clearly with students and parents about expectations, schedules, and progress.

Boundaries with Students

Maintain professional boundaries with all students at all times. You are a teacher and a role model.
Never be alone with a student in a closed room. Always teach in open, visible areas or with another adult present.
Do not exchange personal phone numbers, social media accounts, or private messages with students. All communication should go through FundedYouth’s official channels or the portal.
Do not give students rides, gifts, money, or personal favors outside of FundedYouth activities.
Do not make physical contact with students beyond what is appropriate for the activity (such as guiding hands during a makerspace project with the student’s permission). When in doubt, do not touch.

Working with Parents and Guardians

Be respectful and professional when communicating with parents and guardians.
Keep parents informed about their child’s progress and any concerns.
Never argue with a parent in front of students or other families. If there is a disagreement, involve a FundedYouth administrator.
Direct complaints or concerns from parents to a FundedYouth administrator rather than trying to handle them on your own.

5. STEAM Focus — No Political or Religious Promotion

FundedYouth Academy is a STEAM-focused organization. Our mission is education in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math.

Do not promote any political affiliation, political party, or political agenda while teaching, in the portal, or while representing FundedYouth.
Do not promote any religious beliefs or practices during FundedYouth activities.
Do not encourage or lead discussions on political or religious topics with students.
If a student brings up a political or religious topic, redirect the conversation back to the STEAM subject in a respectful way. You can say something like, “That is an interesting thought — but let’s stay focused on our project.”
Your personal beliefs are your own. FundedYouth respects that, but they should not be part of your teaching.

6. Respecting the Makerspace and Storefronts

When you are at a FundedYouth location, you are expected to:

Handle all tools, equipment, and materials with care. Set a good example for students.
Follow all safety rules and make sure your students follow them too.
Teach students how to properly use equipment before letting them try it.
Report any broken, damaged, or unsafe equipment to a FundedYouth administrator right away.
Clean up your teaching area and make sure students help clean up after each session.
Do not take any FundedYouth property home without written permission.
No alcohol or drugs at any FundedYouth location. Ever.

7. Complaints and Concerns

If Someone Has a Complaint About You

Any complaints about an instructor — from students, parents, staff, or other volunteers — will be reviewed by a FundedYouth administrator.
You will be informed of the complaint and given a chance to respond.
FundedYouth will investigate and take appropriate action, which could include a warning, additional training, suspension, or removal from the instructor program.

If You Have a Complaint

If you have a concern about a student, parent, staff member, or another instructor, bring it to a FundedYouth administrator. Do not try to handle conflicts on your own.

8. Inappropriate Conduct — Serious Matters

FundedYouth takes the safety of students very seriously. The following applies to any behavior that is inappropriate, harmful, or abusive — whether emotional, verbal, or physical.

Zero Tolerance

Any form of abuse — physical, emotional, verbal, or sexual — toward any student, learner, parent, or member of the FundedYouth community is strictly prohibited.
Any inappropriate physical contact with a student will be treated as a serious matter.
Any form of emotional manipulation, intimidation, shaming, or humiliation of a student is not acceptable.
Any form of discrimination based on race, gender, age, disability, religion, or any other characteristic is prohibited.

What Happens If There Is a Report

If any allegation of inappropriate conduct is made against an instructor:

The instructor will be immediately suspended from all teaching duties and portal access while the matter is reviewed.
The matter will be brought before the FundedYouth Board of Directors for investigation and review.
FundedYouth will cooperate fully with law enforcement if the situation involves potential criminal conduct.
Parents and guardians of affected students will be notified as appropriate.
The instructor may be permanently removed from the program and their account terminated.

Legal Action

FundedYouth reserves the right to pursue legal action against any instructor who engages in conduct that is harmful, illegal, or violates the safety of students.
If an investigation reveals criminal behavior, FundedYouth will report it to the appropriate authorities, including law enforcement and child protective services where applicable.
Parents and guardians also have the right to pursue legal action independently if they believe their child has been harmed.

9. This Is Not a Job

By signing this, you understand and agree that:

Being an instructor at FundedYouth is voluntary unless you have a separate written employment or contractor agreement with FundedYouth.
If you are volunteering as an instructor, you are not an employee and will not be paid for your time. The Volunteer Agreement applies separately if you also hold the volunteer role.
There is no employer-employee relationship unless explicitly stated in a separate agreement.

10. Getting Removed or Suspended

FundedYouth Can Remove You at Any Time

FundedYouth can remove any instructor from the program at any time, for any reason, with or without notice. Reasons include but are not limited to:

Breaking any of the rules in this agreement.
Unprofessional or inappropriate behavior.
Complaints from students, parents, or staff.
Failing to follow safety rules or staff instructions.
Promoting political or religious views during FundedYouth activities.
Any conduct that puts anyone’s safety at risk.
Any illegal activity.

Your Account Can Be Suspended

If there is a concern about your conduct, FundedYouth can and will suspend your account and instructor access while the matter is reviewed.
Suspension can be temporary or permanent depending on the outcome.
If you are permanently removed, you lose access to all instructor features in the portal.

If You Think It Was Unfair

You can send a written appeal to a FundedYouth administrator within 14 days. FundedYouth will look into it and get back to you. Their decision is final.

By signing this agreement, you understand and agree to the following:

You give your consent to follow all rules and expectations in this agreement.
You give FundedYouth permission to investigate any complaints or concerns about your conduct.
You agree not to sue FundedYouth Academy, its board, officers, staff, volunteers, or other instructors for actions taken in good faith under this agreement — including suspension, removal, or investigation of complaints.
This does not take away your legal rights in cases of:
- Gross negligence or willful misconduct by FundedYouth.
- Violation of your civil rights.
- Illegal actions taken against you.
- Breach of a separate written employment or contractor agreement.
You understand that FundedYouth may pursue legal action against you if your conduct causes harm to students, the organization, or its community.

12. Changes to This Agreement

FundedYouth can update or change this agreement at any time. If something important changes, you will be told through the portal or by email. If you keep instructing after being notified, that means you accept the changes. If you do not agree, you can step down from the instructor program by letting a FundedYouth administrator know.

13. I Agree

By signing this agreement through the FundedYouth Portal, I am saying:

This agreement is signed electronically through the FundedYouth Portal. Your name, email, date, and signature are stored securely.

FundedYouth Academy 501(c)(3) STEAM Educational Organization EIN: 93-4090260 415 Parkway Plaza, El Cajon, CA 92020 | fundedyouth.org | +1 (619) 728-5002