Last updated: 7th July 2010
Limerick Volunteer Centre – Data Protection Policy
Agreed at Limerick Volunteer Centre steering group meeting, 7th July 2010
Data collected by Limerick Volunteer Centre
Limerick Volunteer Centre collects two types of data:
- Data about volunteers who apply to donate their time
- Data about not-for-profit organisations who have registered with the Centre as looking for volunteers
This document aims to show how Limerick Volunteer Centre plans to conform to the Data Protection Act 1988 and the Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003.
Contact for data protection queries
The Co-ordinator of Limerick Volunteer Centre, is the designated contact point for any questions or complaints about how Limerick Volunteer Centre uses data collected about individuals. The Coordinator is responsible for implementing the agreed policy and for ensuring compliance with the provisions of the policy.
Principles of the Acts
Limerick Volunteer Centre will make sure it operates within the law by committing to eight data protection principles, as outlined in Irish Law.
1. Obtain and process information fairly
We collect information about volunteers, through online and offline forms that volunteers fill out themselves. Information on volunteers will not knowingly be retained with their consent.
2Data will be retained only for one or more specified, explicit and lawful purposes
We only use the information about volunteers for the purpose specified at the time of collection, which is helping them to find volunteer work.
3. Use and disclose data only in ways compatible with these purposes
We do disclose the information about registered volunteers to organisations which are looking for volunteers. This is made apparent to volunteers when they register.
4. Data will be kept safe and secure
Data is maintained in an electronic database. The database is maintained by Salesforce Inc. and enterprise-level security is applied to the database. Access to the database is restricted (with password protection) to:
a. the three members of staff in Limerick Volunteer Centre, and
b. the two database administrators nominated by the national network of Volunteer Centres (Volunteer Centres Ireland) who provide technical administration on behalf of all the Volunteer Centres in Ireland.
5. Data will be kept… accurate, complete and up-to-date
Limerick Volunteer Centre ensures that its data is up to date by regularly contacting registered volunteers, and noting if contact details change.
6. Ensure that data is adequate, relevant and not excessive
Only data that is relevant to a volunteer finding a placement is kept.
7. Retain data for no longer than is necessary for the purpose or purposes
Retention of data is on the basis of whether a volunteer wants to continue receiving information about placements. If they do not then their personal data (apart from their name) is removed.
8. Give a copy of his/her personal data to that individual, on request
Volunteers who wish to have a copy of their information will be provided with it free of charge. A request can be made by emailing the Coordinator at thomas@volunteerlimerick.ie