This privacy and data protection policy sets out how Astute Volunteers stores, uses and protects any information that you give Astute Volunteers when you use this website. Astute Volunteers is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement. Astute Volunteers may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes.
We may collect the following information. How we store and process personal information (Data Protection) can be found at the bottom of this section.
- Name
- Contact information including email address
- Demographic information such as postcode, preferences and interests
We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons:
- Internal record keeping - To help coordinate our UK and Ghana offices, providing you with the best service and security possible while you are out in Ghana.
- Ease of website use and booking (particularly for returning volunteers, stored information saves you from having to completely re-register).
- We may also use the information to improve our products and services.
We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.
Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.
You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:
- Whenever you are asked to fill in a form on the website, look for the box that you can click to indicate that you do not want the information to be used by anybody for direct marketing purposes
- If you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by writing to or emailing us at contact@astutevolunteers.co.uk.
We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties which we think you may find interesting if you tell us that you wish this to happen.
You may request details of personal information which we hold about you under the Data Protection Act 1998. A small fee will be payable.
If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to or email us as soon as possible, at the above address. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.
All personal information is held on a secure database which is reserved exclusively for the UK managerial team of Astute Volunteers. All data transfer is in 99% of cases related only to flight arrivals and essential contact details (name/email/telephone) and is sent weekly by email direct to our Ghana team.
For the purpose of providing you with our services, including your flight, holiday or insurance, etc., we may disclose and process your information outside the UK/EEA. In order for you to travel abroad without certain basic information such as essential contact details (email/telephone number) it will be impossible for our service providers to contact you should your flight arrive late for example. We will also need to send your flight time and flight code so pick up drivers can track your flight and prepare. Sometimes we will be asked to disclose and process information you have given us for immigration, border control, security and anti-terrorism purposes, or any other purposes which they determine appropriate.
We may also need to request sensitive information if you’ll be placed with vulnerable children and adults. In 99% of cases this information is not passed overseas or to any third party unless requested by the police or other legal authority (for example psychiatrists with concerns over their patients travelling abroad). If we have a concern in all cases unless advised by the Police we will contact the ICO first for general advice without details and if acceptable contact the volunteer directly to advise. Neither is any information requested by us obligatory, by booking with us you agree to voluntarily disclose information about yourself. If you would prefer not to disclose health and other sensitive information which may later be useful or essential we shall accept no liability. For example, if you do not tell us you suffer from blackouts on a regular basis which is worth telling the team who will be supporting you overseas and may need to be with someone at all times, we will not be liable for any claim of negligence for not telling the local team. We may need to pass on information where other people’s safety is concerned. For example if a partner organisation is asking us a specific health or behaviour question for which a response would be helpful and ensure other volunteer’s safety on the project at that time. We may also need to pass on information to family and guardians for travellers under 18 where their safety is relevant, although always make the volunteer contacting us aware that we will contact the family or guardian and ask for their permission to do so unless there are very strong reasons not to. By providing us with emergency contact details for family/friends/guardian we can only assume that your permission has been granted to make contact.
It is your right to request for personal data stored by us
You are entitled to a copy of the information we hold about you under the Freedom of Information Act, please send a First class stamped addressed envelope to our address on the Contact Us page. We do not currently charge for this service (most organisations charge £10) but cannot respond without the minimum a self stamped addressed envelope.
You should expect a reply within 10 working days of our receipt. If there are any inaccuracies, please advise and we will happily make amendments or delete information as required.
We do not store information longer than would be reasonably required, however, because of the nature of our programme being flexible with multiple trips being taken over 12 months with an initial booking pre-dating a trip by as much as a year in advance, deleting files regularly is an impracticality. This avoids us having to ask again for hobbies, interests and health and anything else which is helpful. For example if we knew from last year’s file that a volunteer was only interested in sport, this information would be helpful in providing the best advice for a second or forthcoming trip.
Please note that requests for information from Astute Volunteers which is a private Ltd company (in contrast to public organisations such as social services, local government etc) does not include the right to more than what was necessary.
