Volunteers & Volunteer Applicant Privacy Notice

This Privacy Notice is for volunteers and those applying to volunteer at Views Heard, and sets out information regarding the personal data of volunteer applicants and volunteers.

Please note that when we use the terms ‘we’, ‘us’ and ‘our’ we’re referring to Views Heard.

The intention of this Privacy Notice is to inform you on how we handle your personal data. We collect this data responsibly, legally and with your knowledge; through information you’ve consented to provide us by applying to volunteer, and in volunteering at Views Heard.

First of all, what is personal data? Your personal data is any information relating to you and from which you can be identified. In this notice the terms ‘data’ and ‘information’ are used interchangeably.

In this Privacy Notice, we will explain;

 

This Privacy Notice applies to any information you consent to provide us either through email, application or through contact on the websites (www.viewsheard.com, www.viewsheard.org and www.viewsheard.co.uk, and any apps available under Views Heard regardless of the device you are using). It also applies to any data we may collect when you access our websites through the use of cookies.

This Privacy Notice is only in relation to Views Heard. Where we may have links to and from external/third-party websites (including without limit advertisers, sponsors, information relating to the article/review and embedded content) it should be understood that they will have their own policies, separate from ours. Please check any external/third-party policies before clicking on any links, buttons and/or submitting any personal data to them, we do not accept any responsibility or liability for them, their policies or procedures. This also applies if reaching us from any external/third-party websites. Should you access these external sites through any link to our Websites you acknowledge, understand and accept that you do so at your own risk and by your choice.

Under General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) we at Views Heard are the data controller of any information you should choose to share with us. This means:

  • We will only take information you consent to provide us, whether through cookies or by direct contact with ourselves; and
  • We will only store your data for the time period needed, and will not keep it past that period; and
  • We will store this data safely, and dispose of it correctly after its purpose has ended; and
  • We will not sell your personal data; and
  • We will clarify and provide ways you can manage your data.

Should you have any questions regarding data protection please email us at concerns@viewsheard.com with the subject title ‘Data Protection’. (Please note we do not accept any submissions sent to this email address, and any received will be subsequently deleted.)

 

Updates and amendments to the notice

To continue to comply with data regulations and to reflect any alterations to our websites, we reserve the right to make any changes to this notice. Any changes will be posted in our ‘Volunteers & Volunteer Applicant Privacy Notice’ with the date of amendment. Please regularly check our notice for any changes.

This Volunteers & Volunteer Applicant Privacy Notice was completed on the 14th of September 2022.

 

What is consent?

We consider consent to be a positive opt-in, meaning it’s your active choice to provide us any personal data. This may include but without limit through email, applicant or contact forms, and cookie preferences.

It is your right not to give consent, to later withdraw it or to request access, erasure and changes to your data, this is explained further down in our policy under the section ‘Your data protection rights.’

The type of personal information we collect

When applying to volunteer or in volunteering at Views Heard you consent to provide us all or any of the following:

  • An Expression of Interest Form; name, email address, address, telephone number, relevant experience and skills, questions around volunteering, time commitments
  • Further correspondence
  • Any complaints and feedback
  • Referee details (name, email address, address, telephone number, relationship to you)
  • Receipt of references
  • Emergency contact (emergency contact; name, address, telephone, email, relationship to volunteer)

In addition, if you volunteer at Views Heard:

  • A Display Screen Equipment workstation checklist
  • A Health & Safety Risk Assessment
  • Health & Safety Incident Report (only required if you need to report any accidents/incidents or near misses)
  • Safeguarding Adults Report Form (only required if you need to report any safeguarding concerns or issues)
  • Volunteer Agreement
  • Name, email address, contact details
  • Activity data: access, usage and content of software for editing
  • Profile data: name provided to your email account, email address, email photo
  • Unique Editor’s Number
  • Record of editing and verification
  • Request of reference, and receipt of reference from Views Heard regarding your time volunteering

When visiting our Websites we may also collect data using cookies, IP addresses, location data and device identification (a distinct number connected with a smartphone or hand-held device). This can inform us about:

  • How you browse our websites
  • Approximate geographical location
  • Information about the technology you’re using, such as an IP address or what devices you’re using to access our Websites e.g. tablet, android, iPhone, laptop etc
  • Online browsing history.

 

These are very dependent on your choice of cookies.

For more information about cookies and how we use them, please see the section ’Cookie Information’ found below and also within our Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice.

 

How we get personal information and why we have it

General enquiries and complaints

When contacting us we may request your name and email address, this will be kept along with the content of your email in order to respond appropriately and to help assist you in any way we can. Your details will not be used for marketing, or shared with any third parties.

 

Volunteer application & volunteering

Should you contact us to apply for a volunteer role we will request an Expression of Interest Form; name, email address, address, telephone number, relevant experience and skills, questions around volunteering and time commitments. There may be additional correspondence to answer or to ask any further questions.

If your application progresses further, we may request referee details (name, email address, address, telephone number, relationship to you) and receive references. Please make sure referees are happy and consent to the sharing of their data.

If you become a volunteer, we will also request an emergency contact, a Volunteer Agreement, and will provide a Unique Editor’s Number, and keep records of your volunteer work including editing and verification. You may also request and receive a reference regarding your time volunteering at Views Heard.

In addition, a risk assessment and completed Display Screen Equipment workstation checklist will be required. A Health & Safety Incident Report will be available if required.

We request and keep data to help with any queries or concerns regarding your application and volunteering.

The Unique Editor’s Number is provided to each volunteer and is to be used as your ID when editing or verifying work, so that if editing queries come up with the user, your identity is kept secure and they will only see the Unique Editor’s Number. Other volunteers and staff who are editing, can also see your Unique Editor’s Number

 

Editing software

Your email address will be used to register you as a guest user on our software, and will be linked to your Unique Editor’s Number. Other volunteers and staff who are editing, can see your Unique Editor’s Number.

Software access creates an automatic profile for yourself based on your email address, name provided to your email account and email photo.

Activity data may be collected on access, usage and content in relation to the use of this software.

Only authorised staff will have access to guest user lists, profiles and activity data. The name provided to your email account may be visible to other volunteers and staff.

The volunteer profile (name provided to your email account, email address and email photo) will be deleted immediately from the software, either upon request or when no longer volunteering.

 

Safeguarding Adults Report Form

If staff and volunteers become aware of an adult being at risk of harm, abuse or neglect we will take measures to try to help. We will ask you to record and report any concerns, and may request further details with the adult’s consent, this may include contact details; name, address, email, telephone number and relationship to the accused party.

Safeguarding applies to both those within our organisation, and with users/visitors to Views Heard.

 

What we use this personal information for

We may use this information for:

  • In correspondence to you
  • Volunteer applications
  • Volunteering
  • Health & Safety of volunteers
  • Safeguarding adults
  • Contacting referees
  • Verification & editing records
  • Editing
  • References from Views Heard

 

Legal basis for processing personal data

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the lawful bases we rely on for processing this information are:

  • Your consent. You’ve given clear consent for your personal data to be processed for a specific purpose. You’re able to remove your consent at any time and can do this by contacting us at concerns@viewsheard.com please use the subject title ‘Withdraw Consent’. (Please note we do not accept any submissions sent to this email address, and any received will be subsequently deleted.)
  • Legitimate Interest – we may process consented personal data and cookies on the basis of a legitimate interest, to manage requests and correspondence from you, identify and prevent fraudulent behaviour, maintain functionality of websites, editing/verification, publication records, data analytics, usage trends and improvement of services.

 

When we might share information

References

If you apply to be a volunteer at Views Heard and provide referee details, you consent for us to contact those referees in regards to obtaining references. Please check they’re happy for you to share their details. They will not be used for any purpose other than for references.

 

Health & Safety

If we have cause to worry about your safety, you consent for us to contact any or all of the following; emergency contact and emergency services. We may also need to share your Risk Assessment and any incident report if required with the Health and Safety Executive.

 

Safeguarding

Where we have concerns regarding your safety or that of another, we may share details from our Safeguarding Adults Report Form with the relevant authorities and/or emergency services.

 

Legal obligations

We may disclose your information where we are allowed by law to protect or enforce our rights or the rights of others and for the prevention and detection of crime, such as fraud.

 

Reference request

If you request a reference of your time volunteering at Views Heard to be sent to a third-party e.g. a prospective employee, course etc

 

Editing

The software used for editing and verification allows for the sharing and collaboration of documents. To access this software we will register you as a guest user. Guest user lists, activity data and profile data which shows your email address, name provided to your email account and email photo, will be visible to authorised staff only. However, the name provided to your email account may be visible to other volunteers and staff.

Your Unique Editor’s Number will be visible to users, employee’s and volunteers.

 

User submissions

We may need to share from time to time; proof of double-verification; to seek editing approval from the user; to ask follow up questions or amendments regarding the submission from the user. This will only contain volunteers’ editing and verifying work, along with their Unique Editor’s Number. No personal data such as name and email address will be shared with users.

 

Disclosure of personal information

In order to provide volunteer support – such as withdrawing consent, changes, erasure, access of personal data, correspondence and complaints, we may have to disclose personal information in order to verify the request.

 

Data transfers

The use of long-term data such as volunteering records, necessary correspondence and contact data will be transferred from email providers to online storage drives, both of these will be GDPR compliant. Online storage drives may also transfer data to email providers.

Data may also be transferred to encrypted hard drives to protect against loss, or unauthorised use and/or unlawful processing.

International Data Transfers

Data storage and processing servers held outside of the UK, will require international transfers. Any company used has been checked for GDPR compliance.

In relation to donations, our online payment provider is situated outside of the UK, with a data protection agreement in place. The UK International Data Transfer Addendum is also incorporated into the agreements.

Analytical/Performance data may be run through companies situated outside of the UK. No personal identifying data will be used.

 

Functionality

We may share analytics/performance cookies with any third-party suppliers or consultants regarding the maintenance and improvement of the websites. For example, providing monthly visiting figures to improve upload speeds, or locations receiving high traffic in order to look at language accessibility.

We may also publish anonymous details including cookies for trend and statistical reports.

No personal identifying details will be shared.

 

How we store your personal information

All data is stored electronically, and we strive to use companies and providers that are GDPR compliant; from email providers, software companies, web server to online storage drives, using encrypted and restricted access. However, no one can promise – 100% security, if they are we’d be interested in knowing. But we take care to choose companies who go above and beyond the standard safeguards. Furthermore, we will look to keep your personal data secure with deterrents such as legal measures and technical safeguards.

Data may also be transferred to encrypted hard drives to protect against loss, or unauthorised and/or unlawful processing.

Personal information will only be retained in line with its requirement and original purpose, and will be deleted after this. The retention period may be extended; if the purpose is still on-going; in completing communication; legal requirement.

Only authorised personnel will have access to your personal data, while anonymised data from cookies such as traffic figures may be shared with third-parties in order to improve or maintain our services.

If you request your personal information to be erased or it is no longer required, we will securely erase it from our email providers, software, storage and hard drives within an expected and reasonable time frame. Please see the below section ‘Your data protection rights’ for further information on your data rights.

 

Your data protection rights

Under data protection law, you have rights including:

 

Your right of access – You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information.

 

Your right to rectification – You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.

 

Your right to erasure – You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.

 

Your right to restriction of processing – You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

 

Your right to object to processing – You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

 

Your right to data portability – You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.

It is your right to exercise any of the data protection rights, including the right to see if we hold any personal information that relates to you. You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you. These requests must be made in writing to concerns@viewsheard.com please use the subject title ‘Data Protection’. (Please note we do not accept any submissions sent to this email address, and any received will be subsequently deleted.)

To help us process any request you may make, please provide us information that may help us identify your records, such as the contact name and email address originally provided.

 

Cookie information

When using our websites we may collect information using cookies or similar technologies, for the purpose of this section we will use the word ‘cookies’ for simplicity. Please be aware that our ‘Cookie Notice’ may have further cookie information.

Cookie information we may collect:

  • Information about the technology you’re using, such as an IP address or what devices you’re using to access our Websites e.g. tablet, android, iPhone, laptop etc
  • How you browse our websites
  • Approximate geographical location
  • Your online browsing history

 

But what are cookies?

Despite its name they’re not chocolate-chip delights, but a small text file containing information that a website transfers to user’s/visitor’s computer, tablet or mobile devices for record-keeping purposes and to allow us to analyse our Websites – so as to improve our service and to personalise your experience. It does this by telling us about our Websites traffic, for example what parts people visit on our Websites, approximately where from, and returning visits. This gives us knowledge on how people use our site, the effectiveness of ads and web searches, basic functionality of the Websites, and how to provide better Websites.

There are two types of cookies; persistent cookies – these are activated and reactivated every time you visit a part of a website that created this cookie and remain on your device for a specified time. The other cookie is a session cookie –which only activate when you open a browser window and delete when you close it, they exist to allow a link between your actions and the websites.

There are also considered to be different functions of cookies;

 

Strictly Necessary Cookies – are considered essential in browsing websites; allowing them to perform their basic functions such as navigation. Help the websites to load quickly and effectively. They’re not used for marketing purposes or to track your online browsing history.

Should you submit a star rating, available on certain posts, including but not limited to recipes, a cookie is stored in your browser to prevent accidental “double votes” on a post.

If you wish to make a donation, our online payment provider sets cookies to help process payments, and for the use of fraud prevention.

 

ReCAPTCHA – Please be aware that any use of forms on the Websites, including but not limited to donations, volunteer expression form, submissions, report, and contact, use Google’s ReCAPTCHA to protect against spammers, and does this through the use of cookies. Google RECAPTCHA has its own policies separate from our own which we ask you to read before clicking on any link, button and/or submitting any personal data to them. Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

 

Analytics/Performance Cookies – collect statistical data and are taken to analyse how people use the Websites. This helps to improve user/visitor performance of the Websites. These cookies collect traffic data – number of users/visitors, length of the visit, where people go on the Websites and an approximate location of where they visit from. We may on occasion use an independent analytics company to look at these cookies – at which time a third-party company may set these. Embedded YouTube videos also uses these cookies to register anonymous statistical data.

 

Functional Cookies – personalised customisation and remembering your saved preferences. For example, this can be remembering your earlier language preference, local time etc.

 

Targeting/Advertising Cookies – these allow tailored advertisements and the monitoring of their effectiveness. These cookies may track your search history etc to produce more personalised adverts. For the use of YouTube videos, placed within our Website, YouTube requires the use of advertising cookies. These are used to store users’ video preferences and register a unique ID to store data on YouTube videos the user has seen. Further details on Google’s cookies (which include YouTube), can be found here.

Any adverts that appear on our Websites do not use advertising cookies, and are instead display advertisements only, with a link to the external advertiser’s/sponsor’s site. It should be understood that the advertiser/sponsor will have their own policies; privacy policy, cookie notice, terms and conditions, separate from our own and which we ask you to read before clicking on any link, button and/or submitting any personal data to them. We do not accept liability or responsibility for their policies or procedures.

 

Social Media Cookies – we have included social media plugins to enable you to share content on Views Heard with friends and networks across social media services. Should you click on their respective buttons these social media companies may collect and store your personal data in line with their own privacy policy and cookie notice, which are separate from our own and which we do not accept any responsibility or liability for. Please check their policies before you click on any link, button and/or submit any personal data.

Although we receive no data on which articles have been clicked, we do receive statistical reports on the use of these plugins.

Please be aware that any social media links and websites including but not limited to authors, image owners/creators, artists, illustrators, designers, photographers, authors etc will have their own privacy policy and cookie notice separate from our own. Please refer to their policies before you click on any link. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for these social media accounts, platforms and websites.

 

Please note our Websites include embedded content from external/third-party websites which may, if you click on them collect and store your personal data in line with their privacy policy and cookie notice, which is separate from our own. We accept no responsibility or liability for these policies or procedures, and ask that you read them before clicking on any link, button and/or submit any personal data to them.

 

Sharing cookie information

We will not share specific personal data, but may share anonymous data collected by analytical/ performance cookies such as information about our Websites traffic including site numbers, number of returning visitors, popular pages, main devices used, and geographical locations. This may be shared for; advertisement/sponsorship purposes; the maintenance or improvement of the Websites; reports; usage trends; third-party suppliers or consultants regarding the support of our Websites.

We will not share any personal identifying details with third-parties.

 

How do I control my cookies?

When first-visiting Views Heard you will be presented with a cookies banner – a pop-up that asks you to ‘accept’, ‘reject’ or manage ‘settings’ – allowing you to choose your cookie preference.

Should you decide to change your preferences later through your browsing session, you can click on the Cookie Notice “C” tab on your screen. This will display the consent notice again enabling you to change your preferences or withdraw your consent entirely.

Should you accept all or some of the cookies, but wish to later change this, you can erase, block or allow cookies from the settings in your browser control.

You can also manage your cookies by:

  • Private browsing – access through your browser control
  • Browser control; in your web browser you can delete, block or allow all cookies.
  • Install software that blocks cookies.
  • Click on the ‘cookies’ banner on our Websites to amend your selected cookie preferences. Please note this will change your selected cookies, but will not delete any you previously accepted – these will need to be deleted through your browser control.
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How to complain

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to us at concerns@viewsheard.com please use the subject title ‘Complaint’ to help us process any concerns you may have. (Please note we do not accept any submissions sent to this email address, and any received will be subsequently deleted.)

You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data.

The ICO’s address:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113

ICO website: https://www.ico.org.uk