How it Works

Getting started with Aligned Paths is simple. We’ve designed the process to be flexible, accessible, and aligned with how people actually learn.

Explore, and chose your educator.

Browse available educators and find someone who aligns with your needs, interests, and learning style.

We offer support across a wide range of areas—from academic subjects to skill-building, creative interests, and personal development.

2. Book a Session

Book a session directly through the platform at a time that works for you.

All sessions are held online.

3. Come Prepared (or Don’t, and We’ll Figure It Out Together)

You’re encouraged to bring what you’d like to work on—whether that’s school material, skill-building, or a personal goal.

Not sure what to bring? That’s okay. Just show up, and your educator will work with you from there. Note that Aligned Paths educators are not expected to do lesson planning (except in cases of offering structured courses, such as a full beginner language course). If you do not come with what you want to work on, that's okay, but - as you will need to spend some of the time in the lesson, deciding what you want to work on - the progress will be slower.

4. Learn in a Way That Works for You

Sessions are flexible and student-led. Your educator will adapt to your pace, your goals, and the way you learn best.

5. Continue as Needed

Book sessions as needed or set up a regular schedule—whatever works best for you.

Payment & Billing

Sessions may be billed any time between 24 hours before the scheduled session and shortly after it has taken place.

All booked sessions are considered payable. If a payment does not go through, you remain responsible for the full cost of the session.

Scheduling & Changes

Sessions can be freely booked, rescheduled, or adjusted up to 24 hours before the scheduled start time.

This includes:

• changing the time
• rescheduling to another day
• adjusting session length (where applicable)

At 24 hours before the session, the time becomes fixed.

Cancellations & Notice

Sessions cancelled within 24 hours of the scheduled time are non-refundable and will be billed in full.

This policy exists to respect the time, energy, and preparation that educators commit in advance.

For many individuals—particularly those who are neurodivergent—preparing for a session may begin well before the session itself. It is not uncommon for educators to begin organizing their time, attention, and energy 1–3 days in advance.

Educators may also rely on this scheduled time as confirmed income, and may have declined other work in order to hold that space.

For these reasons, exceptions are not standard.

We recognize that it can feel uncomfortable for an educator to decline a request for an exception. To avoid placing educators in that position, we ask that clients respect this boundary and plan accordingly.

This structure allows us to maintain fair working conditions while keeping overall costs lower for clients.

Session Structure & Preparation

Sessions are designed to be flexible and student-led.

Students (or parents, where applicable) are expected to come with material, goals, or a general direction for the session.

Educators are expected to work with what is brought in real time and are not required to prepare lesson plans in advance.

In some cases—such as beginner language learning, music instruction, or more structured subjects—educators may bring light structure or materials. These are exceptions, not the standard model.

Parent Communication

When working with younger students, communication should always occur within scheduled session time, ideally with the student present (unless there is a reason for them not to be present).

Any additional meetings desired by the parent - including meetings with the student's school - must be booked, like a regular session, and are subject to an additional charge. There is no communication outside of paid session time, or email communication.

Session Timing

Session times are fixed within 24 hours of the scheduled start time.

Educators are not required to extend sessions due to late arrival. If you arrive late, the session will still end at the scheduled time.

Platform Use & Fair Practice

All sessions must be booked and conducted through the Aligned Paths platform.

Arranging sessions or payments outside of the platform is not permitted.

Aligned Paths has been developed with significant time, care, and financial investment to create a model that is more accessible, ethical, and sustainable for both educators and clients. While the platform may appear simple, it reflects extensive work behind the scenes.

Our platform fee (15%) is intentionally kept low to support both affordability and fair compensation.

We ask all users to engage with honesty, integrity, and respect for the system that supports this work. Additionally, if your educator requests for you to meet off of the platform, we request that you inform us; this is dishonest behaviour, and - as the dishonesty may not be limited to this specific instance of conduct, and could impact students, parents and families in other ways - we appreciate being given a heads-up. At Aligned Paths, we value integrity, and we want to make sure that those working for us are aligned on this principle.

If off-platform arrangements are identified, access to the platform may be restricted or removed, and further action may be taken where appropriate, including legal measures if necessary.

That being said... we also value the human element of business, and fairness (and, we hope you do, too!).

If an educator leaves the platform entirely, we may consider requests for continued connection under the following conditions:

• the request is initiated by the student
• the educator is no longer affiliated with Aligned Paths
• the relationship is established (typically 3+ months, and 10+ sessions)
• approval is granted by Aligned Paths in advance

These exceptions are limited and reviewed on a case-by-case basis. We value your continuity in education, and the relationships you have formed. Therefore, we are open to discussing this with you, if needed.

Refunds

Eefunds are not guaranteed.

As educators on Aligned Paths are independent contractors, refund decisions are made at the discretion of the individual educator. If a refund is not authorized by the educator, it cannot be issued.

This model allows us to maintain lower overall costs, while ensuring educators are fairly compensated. This may be frustrating, notably in the case of holding a valid reason for a refund. However, we had to decide between raising overall costs, and being able to issue refunds: we decided it would be cheaper, overall, for students, and/or families, to occasionally desire a refund - for a legitimate reason - and not be able to access one, than it would be to raise costs for everyone. Thankfully, in virtually every case, the refund would be surrounding only one session, and our costs are low, so we are hopeful people will be understanding of this policy.

We know this my occasionally upset people, and that's why we are being straight-up about this, right at the beginning. If this model doesn't align with you, that is okay: we made this choice, and it is not going to work for everybody. If it doesn't work for you, we invite you to consider other pricing models & organizations.

Scope of Services

Educational services provided through Aligned Paths are not a substitute for therapy, counselling, or medical support. This includes peer-support, which is a non-professional, supportive, service. Moreover, Sharetribe (the company that hosts our platform) is an inappropriate platform for healthcare, so even if an educator holds licensure as a registered healthcare profession, in this context, they are working exclusively in an educational context.

Respectful Conduct

Aligned Paths is a respectful and inclusive environment.

We expect all participants to engage in a way that is:

• respectful
• appropriate
• inclusive

Discriminatory or harmful behaviour—including racism, homophobia, transphobia, harassment, or sexual misconduct—will not be tolerated.

Participants must also attend sessions in a state appropriate for a professional learning environment (e.g., clothed, not under the influence, and able to engage appropriately).

Failure to meet these expectations, by any party, may result in removal from the platform.

Technology & Environment

Clients are responsible for ensuring they have

• a stable internet connection, and
• a suitable environment for learning.

If a session cannot proceed due to issues on the client’s end, the session may still be considered used and is not eligible for refund.

Recording & Privacy

Sessions may not be recorded, live-streamed, or shared without explicit, prior consent from all participants.

If recording is permitted, a consent agreement must be completed in advance.

Any unauthorized recording or distribution of session content, by any party, will result in immediate removal from the platform.