Privacy Policy

Protecting Your Privacy

Youth Options Inc is committed to protecting the privacy of your personal information. This policy sets out the way we handle your personal information including the use and disclosure of your personal information, as well as your right to access your personal information.

This policy only applies to our databases and files and does not cover any State, Territory or Commonwealth Government database or file. You are advised to contact the relevant government agency for a copy of their privacy policy.

Your Personal Information

In order to provide you youth, career development, training and related services, we may need to collect personal information such as name, address, date of birth, email address, telephone numbers, work history, education history, qualifications, employment status, career details or other information generally contained in a resume. Some programs also require criminal history checks.

Youth, career development, training and related services includes training and skills development programs, mentoring and individual support, career development activities such as career investigation and action planning, aptitude testing for some types of employment, referral to other support services, referral to education or training programs, and assistance to access education or employment.

Collection

Where practicable, Youth Options Inc will endeavour to collect personal information directly from you. We will need to collect personal information from you such as your name, your address, your date of birth, your qualifications, your skills, your previous employment history, your education details, and details of drivers’ and other licences you hold in order to provide you with employment and associated services.

As a contracted service provider to the Australian Government and SA State Government, we may also collect personal information about you from their departments and agencies.

To provide you with youth, career development, training and related services we may also collect personal information from other third parties such as any referees nominated by you, educational institutions, other service providers, and enforcement authorities.

At the time that, or as soon as practicable after, Youth Options Inc collects your personal information we will take reasonable steps to ensure that you are made aware of:

Youth Options Inc’s identity and how you can contact us;

  • your rights with regard to accessing your personal information;
  • the purpose for which your personal information was collected;
  • to whom we usually disclose your personal information;
  • any law that requires us to collect particular personal information; and
  • the main consequences, if any, for you if you do not provide all or part of the information we require.

Youth Options Inc will only collect personal information by fair and lawful means and not in an unreasonably intrusive manner.

Use and Disclosure

We will use our best efforts to ensure that the information you provide to us remains private and is used only for the purposes you agree to.

Youth Options Inc will not reveal, disclose, sell, distribute, rent, license, share or pass your personal information on to a third party, other than those that we have an agreement with ensuring that the third party affords your personal information similar levels of protection as we do.

In order to provide you with youth, career development, training and related services, we may need to disclose your personal information to third parties such as potential employers, other service providers, and providers of work experience placements.

Further, we may use and disclose your personal information to provide you with youth, career development, training and related services specified to you at the point of collection or for another purpose if:

  • you would reasonably expect us to disclose it for that purpose;
  • that purpose is related to the purpose specified to you at the time of collection.
  • Youth Options Inc reasonably believes that the use is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious and imminent threat to an individual’s life or health;
  • Youth Options Inc has reason to suspect that unlawful activity has been, or is being engaged in, and uses the information as part of its investigation, or in reporting its concerns to the relevant authority;
  • the use and disclosure is specifically authorised by law; or
  • the use and disclosure is reasonably necessary for the enforcement of the criminal law, a law imposing a pecuniary penalty, or for the protection of the public revenue.

Youth Options Inc does not use or disclose your personal information for the purposes of direct marketing unrelated products or services.

Data Quality

Youth Options Inc will take reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information is accurate, complete and up-to-date. You are encouraged to help us keep your personal information accurate, complete and up-to-date by contacting your consultant or this organisation and informing us of any changes to your details. You can contact us on (08) 8388 6600 on any business day.

Data Security

At Youth Options Inc we are committed to protecting the privacy of your personal information. We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. We ensure this by having such security measures as:

  • Individual password access to systems and databases
  • Secure file cabinets
  • Building security systems

We will also take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify personal information if it is no longer required for any purpose.

The Internet and Your Privacy

Youth Options Inc uses the Internet in order to provide youth, career development, training and related services. The following statement outlines how in the context of our web site your information is protected and recorded. By using the site you consent to the uses and disclosures outlined previously in this privacy policy.

The Internet and Your Privacy

Youth Options Inc takes reasonable steps to protect your security when using our site but you should be aware that no transmission of information to and from a website is ever totally secure.

While we will strive to ensure the personal information transmitted to or from our website is secure and protected from unauthorised access, we cannot fully guarantee the security of your information. Transmission is at your own risk.

Youth Options Inc uses a range of security measures, including password access to some services available on the Youth Options Inc website.

Links to Other Sites

Our web site contains links to other sites, which are not subject to our privacy standards, policies and procedures. You will need to review those web sites directly to ascertain their privacy policies and practices.

Cookies

Youth Options Inc’s website uses cookies. Cookies are pieces of information that a website can transfer to an individual’s computer for record keeping. Cookies can make using our website easier to navigate by storing your individual preferences. This will enable you to take full advantage of the services that our website offers. The use of cookies is a widely used industry standard and you’ll find most major websites use them.

You can configure your hard-drive to not accept cookies; however you may lose some functionality.

Access and Correction

You will be provided with the opportunity to access the personal information we hold on you and where appropriate, you may be able to correct that information if it is deemed to be incorrect.

You may be required to fill out a form in order to obtain access to your personal information. This form can be obtained from any staff member.

There may be some cases where we are unable to provide you access to your personal information; however Youth Options Inc will explain the reasons why this access was denied.

Identifiers

Youth Options Inc will not adopt as its own identifier an identifier that has been assigned by a government agency.

Where practicable Youth Options Inc will not use or disclose an identifier assigned to an individual by a government agency.

Anonymity

Whenever it is lawful or practicable, you will have the option of not identifying yourself when dealing with Youth Options Inc

Due to the nature of the services being provided to you this will be in very limited cases.

Sensitive Information

Youth Options Inc will not collect personal information revealing your racial or ethnical origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade-union membership, or details of health, disability or sexual activity or orientation unless:

  • your consent has been obtained; or
  • the collection is required or specifically authorised by law; or
  • the collection is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the life or health of any individual, where the subject of the information is physically or legally incapable of giving consent; or
  • the collection is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of a legal claim.

Resolving Privacy Concerns

You are able to raise any concerns you may have regarding our personal information handling practices by either discussing your concerns with your personal consultant or by calling Youth Options Inc on (08) 8398 2355 on business days. Your complaint will be managed and resolved through our Customer Complaints policy and procedures.

Complaints about our management of your personal information may also be made to the Australian Information Commissioner by following the procedures at:

http://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/making-a-privacy-complaint

Contacting Us

If you have any questions about our Privacy policy, or about the way we manage your personal information:

You can write to us at Youth Options Inc – 40 Sturt Street, Adelaide, SA 5000

You can phone our offices on 08 8388 6600

You can email us at hello@youthoptions.org.au