How WhereWeLearn operates, makes decisions, and earns trust
WhereWeLearn is a charity-led education initiative.
We believe trust is built through clarity, restraint, and openness — not claims or hype.
This page exists to explain, in plain language, how WhereWeLearn operates, how decisions are made, and how we safeguard people, learning, and public benefit.
If something is unclear or incomplete, that is a signal for us to improve — not something to hide.
What this hub covers
This Transparency Hub brings together the key areas where accountability matters most:
- What WhereWeLearn exists to do — and not do
- How decisions are made and governed
- How privacy, safety, and neutrality are protected
- How funding is used and reported
- How impact is understood and measured
- What is still evolving
Each section links to a deeper explanation where appropriate.
What WhereWeLearn is (and is not)
WhereWeLearn helps people discover and organise free learning from across the internet.
We act as a connector and organiser of existing educational material.
We do not create courses, act as a school, or issue certificates.
Clear boundaries matter for trust.
You can read these in full here:
→ What Is WhereWeLearn
→ What We Are Not
Governance and decision-making
WhereWeLearn is governed as a charity.
Decisions are guided not only by usefulness or feasibility, but by:
- public benefit
- neutrality and inclusion
- privacy and consent
- long-term trust
This means some opportunities are deliberately declined if they conflict with these principles.
We aim to make decision-making legible rather than opaque.
→ Governance & Decision Principles
→ Roadmap: What we’re working on now, next, and later
Privacy, safety, and neutrality
WhereWeLearn is designed to support learning without surveillance, pressure, or commercial influence.
At a high level:
- We do not sell data
- We do not track people for advertising
- We do not promote political, religious, or commercial agendas
- We report usage only at an aggregate level
Privacy and safety are treated as design responsibilities, not legal afterthoughts.
→ Privacy & Safety (Plain English)
Funding and finances
WhereWeLearn exists for public benefit and is operated on a non-commercial basis.
Funding is used to:
- maintain and improve the service
- support governance, compliance, and safeguarding
- ensure long-term availability and reliability
- reduce barriers to access
Funding is not used for:
- advertising-driven growth
- data monetisation
- speculative or extractive activity
We aim to be explicit about what funding enables, and what it does not.
Impact and reach
WhereWeLearn has been operational for several years and is used by learners across multiple countries, including Ireland.
We measure impact carefully and proportionately, focusing on:
- usefulness
- repeat use
- reach at an aggregate level
We do not measure or infer personal characteristics, outcomes, or identities.
Impact reporting is intended to demonstrate evidence of use, not to rank or profile people.
What is still evolving
Not everything is finished — and we are open about that.
Some areas are intentionally evolving, including:
- long-term governance structures
- community contribution models
- additional accessibility and inclusion measures
- future impact reporting approaches
Where decisions are still in progress, we aim to say so plainly rather than present false certainty.
Accountability and contact
Transparency only works if it is two-way.
If you are:
- a learner with concerns
- a partner or funder with questions
- an educator or organisation seeking clarity
We welcome thoughtful engagement.
Contact details and formal charity information are available.
A final note
WhereWeLearn exists to support learning — not to own it.
This Transparency Hub is part of how we hold ourselves accountable to that purpose, now and as the organisation grows.