Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 18th April 2025

Welcome to NextStepsOverseas.com ("NextStepsOverseas", "we", "our", or "us"). We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and safeguard your data when you visit our website and use our mentorship services globally.

By accessing or using NextStepsOverseas.com, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

a) Information You Provide

  • Account Information: Your name, email address, phone number, nationality, educational background, work experience, and profile photo.
  • Mentorship Preferences: Interests, goals, areas of mentorship, availability, and communication preferences.
  • Payment Information: Billing and payment details, processed securely via third-party services.
  • Communication Content: Messages exchanged between mentors and mentees via our platform.

b) Information We Collect Automatically

  • Usage Data: Information about your interactions with our platform, including pages visited and time spent.
  • Device Information: IP address, browser type, device type, and operating system.
  • Cookies and Similar Technologies: Used to enhance your experience and collect aggregate usage data. (See Cookie Policy for more details.)

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

  • Create and manage your user account.
  • Match mentees with appropriate mentors.
  • Facilitate communication between users.
  • Process payments and provide invoices.
  • Personalize and improve your experience.
  • Send important service updates and marketing communications (with your consent).
  • Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service.

3. How We Share Your Information

We may share your information with:

  • Mentors and Mentees: Limited information necessary for matching and facilitating mentorship sessions.
  • Service Providers: Third-party companies that perform services for us, such as payment processing, email delivery, hosting, and customer support.
  • Legal Authorities: If required to comply with laws, regulations, or legal processes.
  • Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your data may be transferred.

We do not sell your personal information.

4. International Data Transfers

Because we operate internationally, your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. We use standard contractual clauses and other lawful mechanisms to ensure your data remains protected.

5. Your Rights and Choices

a) General Rights

You may:

  • Access, correct, or update your information.
  • Request deletion of your data.
  • Object to or restrict processing of your information.
  • Request a copy of your information (data portability).
  • Withdraw your consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.You can exercise these rights via your account settings or by contacting us at support@nextstepsoverseas.com

6. GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) Compliance

If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or Switzerland, the following applies:

  • Lawful Bases: We process your data based on your consent, the necessity of processing for providing services, compliance with legal obligations, or our legitimate business interests.
  • Data Protection Officer (DPO): For any GDPR-related concerns, you may contact our DPO at [Insert DPO Email].
  • Complaints: You have the right to lodge a complaint with your local Data Protection Authority if you believe your rights have been infringed.

7. CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) Compliance

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under CCPA:

  • Right to Know: Request disclosure of what categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected.
  • Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information.
  • Right to Opt-Out: We do not sell your personal information. If this changes, you will be notified and provided with an opt-out mechanism.
  • Right to Non-Discrimination: You will not be discriminated against for exercising your privacy rights.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [support@nextstepsoverseas.com].

8. International Users (Beyond GDPR & CCPA)

Regardless of where you live, we protect your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable laws in your jurisdiction.

9. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. However, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage is 100% secure. Please also protect your own data (e.g., by maintaining strong passwords).

10. Data Retention

We retain your personal information as long as your account is active or as necessary to provide our services. We may also retain and use your information to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements.

11. Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to:

  • Recognize you when you return to our site.
  • Understand and improve your experience.
  • Analyze website usage for better performance.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. For more details, please refer to our Cookie Policy

12. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external websites or services. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third parties, and we are not responsible for their privacy practices. Please review their privacy policies separately.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Effective Date." We encourage you to review this Policy periodically.

If changes are material, we may notify you through email or through a prominent notice on our platform.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy, you can contact us at:

? Email: support@nextstepsoverseas.com

Next Steps Overseas - Empowering Your Journey, Anywhere in the World.