Privacy Notice

Privacy Notice: Volunteers

Watford Mencap has reviewed its data collection, storage and retention processes in line with new legislation which comes into effect on 25 May 2018.  The General Data Protection Regulations place much more strict requirements on the way in which data is processed.  This Privacy Notice details how we process the personal data of job applicants, employees and volunteers.

Types of personal data

During the course of your recruitment and engagement as either an employee or volunteer, we will collect personal data; special categories of personal data and criminal records data about you.

• Personal data is any information relating to an identifiable person.  It includes your name, address, email and telephone contact details, your national insurance number and proof of ID. 
• Special categories of personal data is data that relates to an employee's racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, health, sex life or sexual orientation and biometric data.
• Criminal records data is personal data relating to criminal convictions and offences.

Sharing Information

We will never sell your personal data. We will not share your personal data with third parties other than where stipulated below.

Data Security

We have appropriate security measures in place to prevent your personal information from being accidentally lost, used, altered, disclosed or accessed in an unauthorised way.

We hold data securely electronically in the relevant section of our document management system. Our file server is on-site and regular secure back-ups are taken. Any personal data that is sent from Watford Mencap is sent securely.

Papers holding personal data are stored in lockable cabinets in our offices including archive files. These records are only accessible by authorised members of staff. Data is deleted and / or disposed of securely.

We provide clear instruction in data protection to employees through policy, procedure and training and take reasonable steps to ensure that third parties working on our behalf are aware of, and comply with, data protection requirements. Our procedures detail how we would handle any suspected data breach and we will notify you and any applicable regulator of a suspected breach where we are legally required to do so.

Whilst we will do our best to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee the security of any personal data sent to us. This is done at your own risk and we remind you to take care when sending your personal data to ensure it is sent in the most secure way.

Transfer of personal data outside of European Economic Area (EEA)

Whilst we do not transfer your personal data outside of the EEA, some of the third parties we work with store data outside of the EEA. We have undertaken due diligence with these third parties to ensure that they have adequate data protection and safeguards in place.

Your rights

You have the right to:

• Request access to your personal information.
• Request that we correct any information that we hold about you where it is incorrect or incomplete.
• Request that we delete your personal information from our files and systems, where there is no valid reason for us to hold it.

We will collect and store your personal data in order that we can offer you volunteering opportunities and placements, contact you and send you documentation relating to your volunteering with us. This can include but is not limited to offering you placements, keeping you updated on our progress and matters relating to your volunteering with Watford Mencap.

Special categories of personal data are collected at appointment and periodically throughout volunteering engagement:

• for the purposes of establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; and
• where the individual has given explicit consent to processing for specified purposes, such as to collect data for monitoring in line with Watford Mencap’s Equality and Diversity Policy.

This data is collected, stored and retained in accordance with Watford Mencap’s Equality and Diversity Policy and Watford Mencap’s Retention of Records Policy and Record Retention Schedule.

Data relating to a volunteer’s criminal records is collected at appointment and periodically throughout engagement as necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims. This is relevant to Watford Mencap’s Disclosure Policy and Disclosure Procedure and in accordance with the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.

Volunteer data is retained for set periods as set out in Watford Mencap’s Retention of Records Policy and Record Retention Schedule.

Personal information includes your name, address, email and telephone contact details, your national insurance number, Proof of ID, DBS certificate number/Update service certificate number. This information is stored securely in volunteer files within the Head office, within the electronic volunteer filing system and within Watford Mencap’s contacts database CharityLog. Access to this information is limited to the Volunteer Manager and HR, department managers and some staff members for the purposes of undertaking their work duties.

Relevant information is shared with third parties (such as Iquda who are provided names of volunteers where access to the IT system is provided) on a limited basis so that only relevant information is shared in accordance with what is required to undertake the task. Volunteer data is retained for set periods as set out in Watford Mencap’s Retention of Records Policy and Record Retention Schedule.

In addition to holding personal data required for its legal obligations and its performance of contracts, Watford Mencap collects some personal data relating to its legitimate interests, for example records of times entering and exiting work premises for fire safety purposes.

Job and Volunteer Applicants

We will collect and store your personal data as provided in your CV and / or application form in order that we can consider you for either employment or volunteering opportunities within Watford Mencap.  We may use this information to contact you and send you documentation relating to your recruitment.

Special categories of personal data are collected during recruitment:

• for the purposes of carrying out obligations and exercising rights within employment law, as authorised by UK law;
• for the purposes of establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; and
• where the applicant has given explicit consent to processing for specified purposes, such as to collect data for monitoring in line with Watford Mencap’s Equality and Diversity Policy.

This data is collected, stored and retained in accordance with Watford Mencap’s Equality and Diversity Policy and Watford Mencap’s Retention of Records Policy and Record Retention Schedule.

Data relating to an applicant’s criminal records is collected at recruitment for the purposes of carrying out its legal obligations and exercising rights within employment law, as authorised by UK law; and as necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims. This is relevant to Watford Mencap’s Disclosure Policy and Disclosure Procedure and in accordance with the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.

Applicant data is retained for 6 months as set out in Watford Mencap’s Retention of Records Policy and Record Retention Schedule.

Personal information includes your name, address, email and telephone contact details, your national insurance number, a copy of proof of your right to work, references and DBS certificate number/Update service certificate number.  This information is stored securely in recruitment files within the HR office in a lockable filing cabinet accessible by HR staff and recruiting managers.

In addition to holding personal data required for its legal obligations and its performance of contracts, Watford Mencap collects some personal data relating to its legitimate interests, for example names and records of times entering and exiting our premises for fire safety purposes.