Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

At Bedfordshire’s CommUNITY Mediation Service, we Collect and use your personal information to provide support, improve our services, and tackle wider issues in the local community

We only collect information that is needed, and it is down to your descension to what you share, we always explain why the information is needed and it is treated as extremely confidential.

When we record and use your personal information, we:

• Only access it when we have a good reason.
• Only share what is necessary and relevant.
• Do not sell any information.

We collect and use the details you give us so we can provide the correct support for you. We have a ‘legitimate interest’ to do this under data protection law. This allows us to carry out our aims and objectives as an organisation.

Ways that we may collect your personal data:

• Referral form from website if the chatline is inaccessible to you.
• Third party referral.
• Information requested through the online chat.
• Via email contact.
• Over the telephone if you call us for advice, we will request your permission verbally to record your information.

We may also collect data relating to your experience using Bedfordshire’s CommUNITY Mediation Service, this could be done via questions, surveys and case studies, we will always gain your consent prior to gathering this information and ensure that you are happy to participate.

Bedfordshire’s CommUNITY Mediation Service is committed to protecting your privacy and takes its responsibilities regarding the security of user information very
seriously. This privacy statement sets out how Bedfordshire’s CommUNITY Mediation Service complies with both UK and European Union data protection requirements. We have structured our website so that you can visit without identifying yourself or revealing any personal information. Once you choose to provide us with any information by which you can be identified, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this Privacy Statement.

“Bedfordshire’s CommUNITY Mediation Service” includes the brands Mary Seacole Housing Association, Bedfordshire Police Crime Commissioners and their related events, products, and services.

If you have any queries about the policy, please get in touch with us using community@maryseacoleha.com or write to us at Mary Seacole Housing Association, 12 Cardiff Road, Luton LU1 0QH and we will do our best to answer your questions.

This privacy policy was last updated on 1st April 2023.

What we collect

Personal data

Under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) personal data is defined as:

“any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (’data subject’); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person”.

The personal data we may collect from you and process is:

• Contact details, such as name, postal address, telephone number and email address.
• Demographic information such as seniority, preferences and interests.
• Other Personal data such as gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation.

Other data that we may collect from you is:

• Browser and device data, such as IP address, device type, operating system, and Internet browser type.
• Cookie and tracking technology data, such as time spent on website, pages visited and other anonymous traffic data.

How we use your information

This privacy notice tells you how we at, Bedfordshire’s CommUNITY Mediation Service, will collect and use your personal data for:

• To provide our products and services.
• To personalise the website for you.
• To contact you in response to a specific enquiry.
• To send you promotional emails and mailings about Bedfordshire’s CommUNITY Mediation Service products, services, offers and other services that you have agreed to hear about.
• To contact you via telephone about Mary Seacole Housing Association’s products and services that we think may be relevant to you.
• To contact you via email or telephone for market research reasons.
• To improve or modify our services.
• For audits, regulatory purposes, and compliance with industry standards.
• To conduct aggregate analysis and develop business intelligence that enables us to operate, protect, make informed decisions, and report on the performance of, our business.

Why does Bedfordshire’s CommUNITY Mediation Service need to collect and store personal data

As this service is run by Mary Seacole Housing Association, we will store personal data securely with Mary Seacole Housing Association and pass on some data on to our funders the Bedfordshire Police Crime Commissioner service for funding and project evaluation purposes. Any third parties that we may share your data with are obliged to keep your details securely, and only use them in alignment with this policy. This includes but is not limited to, event registration, subscription fulfilment and email marketing. When they no longer need your data to fulfil this service, they will dispose of the details in line with Bedfordshire’s CommUNITY Mediation Service
policy. If we wish to pass your sensitive personal data onto a third party, we will only do so once we have obtained your consent unless we are legally required to do otherwise.

How will Bedfordshire’s CommUNITY Mediation Service use the personal data it collects about me?

Bedfordshire’s CommUNITY Mediation Service (collect, store and use) the information you provide in a manner compatible with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We will endeavour to keep your information accurate and up to date, and not keep it for longer than is necessary. Bedfordshire’s CommUNITY Mediation Service is required to retain information in accordance with the law, such as information needed for funding, evaluation, and audit purposes. How long certain kinds of personal data should be kept may also be governed by specific business-sector requirements and agreed practices. Personal data may be held in addition to these periods depending on individual business needs.

Under what circumstances will Bedfordshire’s CommUNITY Mediation Service contact me?

Our aim is not to be intrusive, and we undertake not to ask irrelevant or unnecessary questions. Moreover, the information you provide will be subject to rigorous measures and procedures to minimise the risk of unauthorised access or disclosure.

Can I find out the personal data that the organisation holds about me?

Bedfordshire’s CommUNITY Mediation Service at your request can confirm what information we hold about you and how it is processed. If Bedfordshire’s CommUNITY Mediation Service does hold personal data about you, you can request the following information:

• Identity and the contact details of the person or organisation that has determined how and why to process your data.
• Contact details of the data protection officer, where applicable.
• The purpose of the processing as well as the legal basis for processing.
• If the processing is based on the legitimate interests of Bedfordshire’s Community Mediation Service or a third party, information about those interests.
• The categories of personal data collected, stored, and processed.
• Recipient(s) or categories of recipients that the data is/will be disclosed to.
• How long the data will be stored.
• Details of your rights to correct, erase, restrict or object to such processing. Information about your right to withdraw consent at any time. How to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority.
• Whether the provision of personal data is a statutory or contractual requirement, or a requirement necessary to enter a contract, as well as whether you are obliged to provide the personal data and the possible consequences of failing to provide such data.
• The source of personal data if it wasn’t collected directly from you.
• Any details and information of automated decision making, such as profiling, and any meaningful information about the logic involved, as well as the significance and expected consequences of such processing.

What forms of ID will I need to provide in order to access this?

Bedfordshire’s CommUNITY Mediation Service accepts the following forms of ID when information on your personal data is requested:

Passport, driving license, birth certificate or utility bill (from last 3 months)

Bedfordshire’s CommUNITY Mediation Service works to Government Policies, Legislation and Practice Guides as contained in the following with a strong emphasis on client focus and involvement. Clients are always and continue to be at the centre of our service design and delivery and it is our intention to ensure that everyone (commissioners, providers, and clients) has access to the right information:

• Access to Personal Files Act 1989

• Care Standards Act 2000

• Children’s Act 1989

• Children’s Act 2004 – Every Child Matters

• Data Protection Act 1998

• Disability Discrimination Act 1995

• Employment Agencies Act 1973

• Equality & Diversity Act 2010

• Freedom of Information Act 2003

• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

• Housing Act 1985

• Housing Act 1988

• Housing Act 1996

• Housing Act 2004

• Human Rights Act 1998

• Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998

• Race Relations Act (Amendment) 2000

• Race Relations Act 1976

• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

• Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

• Sex Discrimination Act 1975

• Youth and Criminal Justice Act 1999

• All relevant UK legislation and EC Directives in relation to equal rights, equal pay, employment law, minimum wage, time off etc

1. 1. Implementation

The Management Committee, which includes the Chief Executive, is responsible for ensuring that the Association’s Policy on Safeguarding Adults is implemented. The Chief Executive is responsible for the administration and monitoring of the effectiveness of the policy. All staff are responsible for the implementation of the policy.

1. 2. Complaints

Any Management Committee member, sessional worker, contractor, sub-contractor, consultant, volunteer, agency and service user who feel this policy has been unfairly applied, or has suffered loss or damage as a result of actions by the Association perceived to be in breach of this policy may make a complaint via the Association’s Complaints Procedure.

Any staff member or service user who feels this policy has been unfairly applied, or has suffered loss or damage as a result of actions by the Association perceived to be in breach of this policy may make a complaint via the Association’s Grievance Procedure.

1. 3. Compliance

The Association’s management team will carry out regular monitoring of its policies to ensure compliance of this policy and relevant procedures.

If it is discovered that a breach of this policy has occurred, disciplinary action may be taken against the service user or member of staff.

1. 4. Monitoring

The Association will regularly review its monitoring records in order to assess how successfully its policy on Privacy is being implemented. Positive steps will be taken to redress any imbalances revealed by the monitoring process.

This policy will be reviewed in April 2024.

The Association’s privacy policy was accepted and adopted by The Association’s Management Committee on 27th of April 2023.