Trust, not status
How Guide verification works
A badge tells you who this person is, what Belongward actually checked, and that they're volunteering independently.
How Guides apply
Any verified member can apply at Apply to Become a Guide — there is no cost, and being a Supporter never affects approval. Every application is reviewed by a person on the Belongward Admin Team — identity, credentials if claimed, and background. Nobody is approved automatically, and applicants don't appear in Find a Guide or show a badge until approved.
Verification levels
We never use one generic badge. Each badge names exactly what was reviewed. Someone can hold more than one, and each is approved separately.
- Identity and application reviewed. Helps from lived experience — no professional credential claimed.
- Faith or community leadership information reviewed.
- The specific professional background or credential named on the badge was reviewed.
- A current professional license was verified with the issuing authority. Only used for licensed roles.
- The organization the Guide represents was reviewed.
What a Belongward Guide is
Guides are independent volunteers who use their lived experience, skills, or professional background to help others move forward. They are not Belongward employees or staff, and a Guide badge gives no moderation or admin powers.
Verification varies by Guide type
Many Guides help from lived experience and hold no professional credentials — their badge reflects that their identity and application were reviewed. Where someone claims a professional role or license, that credential is reviewed before a professional badge is shown. A typed license number alone never earns a badge.
What a badge means
Belongward reviewed the specific information that badge describes, as of the date shown when you tap it.
What a badge does not mean
- Belongward does not employ the Guide.
- Belongward does not guarantee the Guide's advice or any outcome.
- Belongward is not responsible for independent professional services a Guide provides.
- Talking with a Guide is not automatically a professional-client relationship.
- Guides do not replace medical, mental-health, legal, financial, or emergency services.
When you need more than a Guide
Please use licensed professionals for medical, mental-health, legal, or financial decisions. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call your local emergency number (911 in the U.S.) or, in the U.S., call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Reporting a Guide
Every Guide profile has a Report Guide option. Reports about Guides go to the top of our review queue, and we can pause a Guide's badge immediately while we look into it. A Guide should never ask you for money.
Keeping credentials current
Licenses and credentials with expiration dates are re-checked on a schedule. If one expires without being re-verified, that badge comes off right away and the Guide can't take new requests in that area until it's reviewed again.