Volunteer Privacy Notice

Citizens Advice in West Sussex (North, South, East): Volunteer Privacy Notice

This privacy notice explains to you how we will use and store the information you give to us when you apply to be a volunteer at Citizens Advice in West Sussex (North, South, East) (CAWS), and when you become a member of our volunteer teams. As part of any recruitment and management processes of volunteers, CAWS collects and processes Personal Data and Special Category data (SCD) relating to volunteer applicants. This is explained in more detail in this document. CAWS is committed to being transparent about how we retain and use this data, as follows:

How we will use your information before you join us:

The information you give us will be used to help Citizens Advice in West Sussex (North, South, East) (CAWS) progress your interest or application in becoming a volunteer. This is our ‘legitimate interest’ under data protection law.

Our legal basis for collection of special category data, including information about criminal convictions is consent.

Your information will only be seen by colleagues involved in the recruitment process and will be stored securely.

We will keep unsuccessful application information for six months and then securely destroy it. If you wish to withdraw your consent for your details to be held for this period, you can make this request.

We share your data with third parties in order to obtain references, obtain background checks from third-party providers or necessary criminal records checks from the Disclosure and Barring Service for certain roles.

Use of personal data will be relevant to your volunteering role, and may include:

• Contacting volunteers when necessary.
• Making reasonable adjustments to improve accessibility.
• Monitoring statistical details of our volunteers.
• Providing ongoing support to volunteers.
• Monitoring the quality of advice given to clients.
• Addressing problems or complaints.

How we will use your information when you’re a volunteer:

If you are recruited as a volunteer, the information you give us will be used to help Citizens Advice in

West Sussex (North, South, East) (CAWS), support you within your volunteering role. This is our ‘legitimate interest’ under data protection law. This includes your application to volunteer with us, references, any other checks we have carried out, and other files that make up the volunteer record.

Our legal basis for collection of special category data, including information about criminal convictions is consent.

All volunteer information will be kept securely, and it will only be used by appropriate colleagues involved in supporting and managing volunteers, or dealing with issues such as quality, complaints or problems related to volunteers, this may include:

• Contacting volunteers when necessary or contact next of kin in case of an emergency.
• Training records.
• Making changes to role, support, or equipment to improve accessibility.
• Monitoring statistical details of our volunteers.
• Providing ongoing support and supervision, including appraisals, to volunteers.
• Monitoring the quality of advice given to clients.
• Addressing problems or complaints.
• Obtaining feedback about your volunteer experience.

What information do we collect?

We will collect a range of information about you, including:

• Personal data: Your name, address and contact details, including e mail address and telephone number.
• Details of your skills, experience, and employment history.
• Some Special Category data: age group, gender, ethnic origin, religion, or belief, Whether or not you have a disability for which we need to make a reasonable adjustment during the recruitment process, or your time as a volunteer.
• Criminal convictions and offence data.
• Your bank account details, for us to pay you any expenses you incur in accordance with our policies.
• Your photograph.

We may collect this information in a variety of ways. For example, in an application or e-mails. We may also collect personal data about you from third parties, such as references supplied by former employers, organisations, and individuals.

What is personal and special category data?

Personal data is data which can be used to identify you. This may include your name, date of birth, address, telephone number etc. Special category data is information related to any of the following: racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, trade union membership, health, sexuality. It is your choice whether you give us the special category data we collect at the recruitment stage. We will use this information to make sure we’re working with a diverse volunteer community.

What if you do not provide personal or special category data?

You are under no obligation to provide personal data to us during the volunteer selection process however if you do not provide the personal information we require, we may not be able to process your application properly, or at all. You are under no obligation to provide special category data as part of your application.

Why do we process personal data?

We process your data when you have applied to establish your suitability to join us as a volunteer. If you are invited to become a volunteer, we then process your data to enter into a volunteering agreement with you. We need to process your data to ensure that it is complying with our legal obligations. We have a legitimate interest in processing personal data during the volunteer recruitment process and for keeping records of the process. Processing data from volunteer applicants allows CAWS to manage the recruitment process, assess and confirm an applicant’s suitability for volunteering. We may process special categories of data, such as information about ethnic origin, sexual orientation or religion or belief, to monitor recruitment statistics. We may also collect information about whether or not applicants consider themselves disabled to make reasonable adjustments for applicants who have a disability. For some roles, we are obliged to seek information about criminal convictions and offences. Where we seek this information, we will advise you in advance. You are not obliged to provide us with this information, but we may not be able to process your application further, or at all.

Where do we store your data?

We keep all your details confidential and do not pass them on to anyone else without your permission. The rules of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation 2018 mean that we need your consent to store your personal details. We may store data in a range of different places, including on your application record, in HR management systems, and on other IT systems (including e mail). We will not share your information with anyone else without your consent, unless required to do so by law.

How we will protect your data:

We take the security of your data seriously and have internal policies and controls in place to try to ensure that your data is not lost, accidentally destroyed, misused, or disclosed, and is not accessed except by its employees, volunteers, or trustees in the performance of their duties.

We will not transfer your data to countries outside the European Economic Area.

Your Rights:

You have legal rights over your data, including access to it, and the right to ask that it is corrected, restricted or deleted and if you object to the processing of your data where we are relying on its legitimate interests as the legal ground for processing. There is more information on these rights on the Information Commissioner’s Office website: www.ico.org.uk

If you have any questions about the use of your data, please contact:

The HR Officer:

Telephone: 01273 944 469 ext. 4469 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm)

Email: HR@westsussexcab.org.uk