Privacy Policy – Uniting Circle

1. Introduction

Uniting Circle Multicultural Community Centre ("Uniting Circle", "we", "our", or "us") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information of our participants, clients, families, volunteers, students, staff members, community members and website visitors.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store and protect personal information when you access our website, enquire about our services, participate in our programs or engage with our organisation.

We are committed to managing personal information responsibly and in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

2. Information We Collect

The personal information we collect depends on your relationship with Uniting Circle and the services or programs you access.

We may collect information including:

Full name
Residential or postal address
Email address
Telephone number
Date of birth (where required)
Emergency contact information
NDIS participant information (where applicable)
Disability or support-related information necessary to provide services
Cultural, language and accessibility requirements
Volunteer and student placement information
Employment-related information (where applicable)
Program registrations and attendance information
Feedback, enquiries and correspondence
Information submitted through website forms

We only collect information that is reasonably necessary to deliver our services, administer our programs and fulfil our legal obligations.

3. How We Collect Personal Information

Personal information may be collected through:

Website enquiry and contact forms
Program and event registrations
NDIS enquiries and participant onboarding
Volunteer and student placement applications
Telephone calls
Emails
Face-to-face meetings
Community activities and events
Referrals from authorised representatives, support coordinators or partner organisations
Other lawful means directly related to our services

Where possible, we collect information directly from the individual concerned. In some circumstances, information may be provided by a parent, guardian, authorised representative or another organisation with appropriate authority.

4. How We Use Personal Information

We use personal information to:

Deliver community services and support programs
Provide NDIS services and Supported Independent Living (SIL) supports
Respond to enquiries and requests
Register participants for programs and events
Coordinate volunteer and student placements
Communicate important information regarding services and activities
Improve our services and website
Meet funding, reporting and legal obligations
Protect the safety and wellbeing of participants, staff and volunteers

We will only use personal information for the purpose for which it was collected or for another purpose permitted by law.

5. Sensitive Information

Some of our services require the collection of sensitive information, including health information, disability-related information, cultural background or other personal circumstances.

Sensitive information is only collected where:

it is necessary to provide appropriate support;
you have provided consent; or
collection is authorised or required by law.

We take additional care when managing sensitive information and only disclose it where necessary and lawful.

6. Disclosure of Personal Information

We may disclose personal information where necessary to deliver our services or comply with legal obligations.

Information may be shared with:

NDIS participants' authorised representatives
Support coordinators and plan managers
Government departments and funding bodies
Healthcare professionals and community service providers
Educational institutions (for student placements)
Professional advisers
Technology or service providers supporting our operations

We do not sell, rent or trade personal information to third parties.

7. Protecting Your Information

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from:

unauthorised access;
misuse;
loss;
alteration; and
unauthorised disclosure.

Information may be stored electronically or in secure physical records. Access is restricted to authorised personnel who require the information to perform their duties.

8. Website Privacy, Cookies and Analytics

When you visit our website, certain non-identifiable information may be collected automatically, including:

browser type;
device information;
pages visited;
date and time of visits;
referring websites; and
website usage statistics.

Our website may use cookies and website analytics services to improve website performance and user experience.

Cookies help us understand how visitors use our website but do not provide access to personal information stored on your device.

You may disable cookies through your web browser; however, some website features may not function correctly.

9. Website Forms and Online Enquiries

Information submitted through our website—including contact forms, program registrations, volunteer applications and service enquiries—will only be used to:

respond to your enquiry;
provide requested information;
administer services or programs; or
communicate relevant updates.

Please avoid submitting sensitive information through general enquiry forms unless specifically requested.

10. Photography and Media

Uniting Circle may photograph or record community activities, events and programs for promotional, educational and reporting purposes.

Where appropriate, consent will be obtained before photographs or videos containing identifiable individuals are published.

If you do not wish to appear in photographs or videos at an event, please notify a member of our team.

11. Children's Privacy

Where programs involve children or young people, personal information will only be collected with appropriate consent from a parent, guardian or authorised representative where required by law.

We are committed to protecting the privacy and wellbeing of children participating in our programs and services.

12. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to:

provide our services;
comply with legal and regulatory obligations;
meet funding requirements; and
maintain appropriate organisational records.

When personal information is no longer required, we take reasonable steps to securely destroy or de-identify it.

13. Accessing and Correcting Your Information

You may request access to the personal information we hold about you and request corrections where information is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date.

Requests should be made using the contact details below.