Privacy Policy for Solstice Social
At Solstice Social, a non-profit organization dedicated to community engagement and social integration, your privacy is paramount. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, manage, and protect your personal information in connection with our community engagement programs, seasonal event planning, social integration support, volunteer coordination, and welfare initiatives. We are committed to transparency and adherence to applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
1. Information We Collect
We collect various types of information to effectively run our programs and services, always striving to collect only what is necessary.
- Personal Identification Information: This may include your name, address, email address, phone number, and date of birth when you register for events, volunteer, or participate in our programs.
- Demographic Information: Information about your age, gender, and optionally, cultural background, to help us tailor our programs to community needs and report on our impact (always anonymized where possible for reporting).
- Health Information: In some cases, for specific welfare initiatives or event participation, we may collect information regarding allergies, medical conditions, or dietary requirements to ensure your safety and well-being. This is always with your explicit consent.
- Engagement Data: Information related to your participation in our events, programs, and volunteer activities.
- Website Usage Data: Non-personally identifiable information about how you interact with our online platform, such as page views, time spent on pages, and referring sites. This helps us improve our online presence.
2. How We Collect Information
We collect information through various methods:
- Direct Interactions: When you fill out registration forms, sign up for newsletters, apply to volunteer, or communicate with us directly via phone or in person.
- Third Parties: From partners or public sources, with your consent, to enhance our understanding of community needs or facilitate program delivery.
- Automated Technologies: Like cookies and similar technologies on our online platform, which collect usage data.
3. Lawful Basis for Processing Your Information
We process your personal data based on the following lawful grounds:
- Consent: Where you have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for a specific purpose (e.g., signing up for a newsletter or specific program). You can withdraw your consent at any time.
- Contract: Where processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are a party (e.g., volunteer agreement, event registration).
- Legal Obligation: Where processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation (e.g., safeguarding requirements, financial reporting).
- Legitimate Interests: Where processing is necessary for our legitimate interests as a non-profit organization in providing community services, provided that these interests do not override your fundamental rights and freedoms (e.g., improving our services, ensuring safety at events).
4. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for various purposes related to our mission:
- To Provide Services: To deliver our community engagement programs, organize seasonal events, provide social integration support, and coordinate volunteer activities effectively.
- Communication: To send you updates about our programs, events, newsletters, and other relevant information you have opted into receiving.
- Safety and Welfare: To ensure the safety and well-being of participants and volunteers at our events and programs, including addressing specific dietary or medical needs where relevant.
- Improvement of Services: To understand how our programs are being utilized and to improve our offerings, impact, and reach within the community.
- Reporting: To fulfill reporting requirements to funders and stakeholders, often using anonymized statistical data.
5. Sharing Your Information
We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We may share your information in limited circumstances:
- Service Providers: With trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our programs and our online platform (e.g., event registration platforms, email communication services). These providers are contractually bound to protect your data and only use it for the purposes specified by us.
- Legal Requirements: When required by law or in response to valid legal requests (e.g., court order, government inquiry).
- Emergency Situations: To protect the vital interests of an individual, for example, in medical emergencies.
- With Your Consent: We will share your information with other third parties only when we have your explicit consent to do so.
6. Data Security
We are committed to securing your personal information. We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:
- Encryption of data where appropriate.
- Access controls and restrictions to personal data.
- Regular staff training on data protection.
- Secure storage solutions for both electronic and physical records.
7. Data Retention
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including for satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. The specific retention period will vary depending on the type of data and the purpose for which it was collected.
8. Your Data Protection Rights
Under GDPR and other applicable data protection laws, you have several rights regarding your personal data. These include:
- The Right to Access: You have the right to request copies of your personal data.
- The Right to Rectification: You have the right to request that we correct any information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
- The Right to Erasure (Right to be Forgotten): You have the right to request that we erase your personal data under certain conditions.
- The Right to Restriction of Processing: You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data under certain conditions.
- The Right to Object to Processing: You have the right to object to our processing of your personal data under certain conditions.
- The Right to Data Portability: You have the right to request that we transfer the data that we have collected to another organization, or directly to you, under certain conditions.
- The Right to Withdraw Consent: Where we rely on your consent to process your personal data, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided below.
9. Cookies
Our online platform uses cookies to enhance your experience. Cookies are small text files placed on your device that collect standard internet log information and visitor behavior information. We use this information to track visitor use of the online platform and to compile statistical reports on activity. You can set your browser not to accept cookies, and the above online platform tells you how to remove cookies from your browser. However, in a few cases, some of our online platform features may not function as a result.
10. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date.
11. How to Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, your personal data, or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us:
Solstice Social
Royal Canal Greenway
Dublin, Dublin, D01 V4C4
Ireland
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Commission in Ireland if you believe your rights have been violated.