Data Privacy Policy

Voluntary Service International (VSI)

 

DATA PRIVACY POLICY 

 

  1. Scope, Purpose and Users 

 

This policy applies to all staff, volunteers, consultants and members of the public whose Data VSI processes. VSI is committed to safeguarding your privacy. This policy explains how we will collect, use and disclose information and may change from time to time, so please check this policy periodically.  

It’s important that you feel completely comfortable and confident that your personal information is in safe hands. VSI takes protecting your privacy extremely seriously and takes all reasonable steps to ensure your information is secure.  

The use of your personal information, why we collect it and what we save varies depending on how you interact with VSI, what permission you have given us and what the situation is. We have done our best to indicate this throughout the statement.    

  1. What Information We Collect and Why 

 

Whenever you interact or communicate with us, we collect personal information. We may collect a variety of personally identifiable or sensitive information from you for various reasons. For example, we may collect: 

  • Any personal details you may choose to give us, such as your name, age, email, phone number and address. We save this so we can keep in touch with you (on the basis of our legitimate interests in promoting our activities and contractual necessity), and so that we can assess your suitability for a role in the context of volunteer and employee applications (on the basis of contractual necessity). 
  • Your financial details, if you have paid a membership or project fee or made a kind donation to us. We need this to process your contribution / donation including accessing your tax back on your donation if appropriate (i.e. on the basis of contractual necessity).   
  • Your education and employment background, in order to process your application if you have applied to work or volunteer with VSI (i.e. on the basis of contractual necessity).  
  • Any equal opportunity Data, or physical or mental health information that you may have given us if you apply to volunteer with VSI. This is so we can fully and fairly administer your application on the basis of your explicit consent.  
  • Your experience as a volunteer along with your particular interests in joining and becoming active in VSI.  We need this so we can send you information about particular volunteer projects that might be of interest (on the basis of our legitimate interests in recruiting volunteers).  
  • Your feedback on volunteering and other activities with VSI. We have a legitimate interest in remaining relevant and up to date, so gathering feedback on what we do is really important. Any feedback gathered is strictly confidential. 

As indicated above, we would like to use the personal details you provide us to communicate with you about the impact you make and to give you, our news. We may also let you know about other ways you could get involved with VSI – whether that’s through volunteering, campaigning, events, fundraising initiatives or educational/training activities. You can always opt out of marketing emails by contacting us at info@vsi.ie. 

  1. Where We Collect Information From 

 

Examples may include: 

  • From you directly, for example, when you fill out a volunteer application form or when you make a donation. VSI is the Irish branch of the international peace and solidarity organisation Service Civil International (SCI). One of our international project databases and our online placement system for those projects are managed by SCI. Please see SCI’s Privacy Notice here: https://www.sci.ngo/privacy-notice   
  • From external sources, for example, when you interact with us on social media. 
  • From other organisations, when you give permission or where your Personal Data is available publicly. For example, if you work for another NGO or youth organisation. 
  • From our website, when you visit. For example, we use software such as Google Analytics to identify which pages on our website are visited most. For information on this, and the use of cookies, please read our Website Privacy Policy.  
  1. How Long We Keep Your Information For 

 

We keep personal information for different lengths of time dependent on the purpose. If you have any questions regarding the specific Data retention periods, please contact the CEO.  

 
 

  1. Who We Share Your Personal Information With 

  

Sometimes we may need to share your information with external organisations and third parties in order to conduct our activities (e.g. with payment processors to collect donations, with service providers for marketing purposes etc.).  

 

Some of our branches and partner organisations are outside the European Economic Area. Whenever we share or transfer your personal information, we will ensure that such transfer is subject to appropriate safeguards in accordance with the GDPR. We may also provide your information to the police, regulatory bodies or legal advisers where we have a lawful reason for doing so. 

 
 

  1. How Your Information is Secure 

 

The security of your information is of utmost importance to us. We seek to use reasonable measures to protect your information as required by the law and in accordance with the policies VSI has set. Sensitive Data (known under GDPR as Special Categories of Data) is held under strict security conditions. If you have any reason to believe that any personal information we hold is no longer secure, please contact us immediately. 

 
 

  1. Further Information 

 

Further information on the law that says how your personal information can be used can be found here:  

You can also contact the Data Protection Commissioner’s Office to find out more about types of personal information, its usage and your rights, or to report a concern / make a complaint. 

  1. Managing Your Communications From Us 

 

Subject to certain exceptions, you have the right to know what personal information we have about you as a Data Controller, to make changes to how you hear from us, to object to processing based on our legitimate interests, and to ask us to stop processing or to delete or amend your personal information. You also have the right to ask for a copy of the information we have. 

You can also change your communication preferences at any time; just get in touch with info@vsi.ie  

 

4-7 North Brunswick Street  

Dublin 7 

D07 RHA8 

Ireland  

 

+353 1 873 5702