Your privacy
As part of helping you heal from the impacts of sexual abuse, your HELP counsellor will ask you to tell us about yourself. However, if we ask you something you don’t want to talk about, you can choose not to. If you choose not to share information with us, it may impact on the services we are able to provide you.
All information is dealt with in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020 and the Health Information Privacy Code, 2020 (which you can read at privacy.org.nz).
Your records
We may collect personal information about you when you contact us for information about our services, or if you are referred to our services by a third party.
We may collect personal information about you when you talk to your HELP counsellor. The Counsellor may record some notes from your discussions.
We may also collect personal information about you from other agencies who are involved in your care.
We keep separate records for every client and take steps to ensure your information is secure. Paper records are kept securely locked and electronic information is protected by passwords and firewalls.
We retain records for a minimum of ten years. If information is no longer required, we dispose of it in a manner that preserves your privacy.
Your rights
You are entitled to confirm whether we hold any information about you and to access the information we have about you. Whether you’re a current or past client of HELP, if you show us identification, you can read your notes, take away print out, or request them to be sent to someone else, such as a new counsellor.
You are also entitled to ask us to correct your personal information. If we do not make a requested correction, you can request that we attach a statement of correction to the information in question. This statement can either be your original request for correction
(detailing what you believe the information should be) or a specific statement that you provide to us.
Your confidentiality
Our notes and anything you tell us are confidential between you and HELP, except that your information may need to be shared in circumstances where we consider it necessary and where we have legal grounds for doing so.
These circumstances include:
- When we are providing a wrap-around service for you along with police, medical staff or other professionals involved in your care.
- When referring you to alternative or supplementary support services.
- When there is a risk of harm to you or another person.
- To prevent or lessen a serious threat to your life or health or of another person.
- When we discuss our work with a supervisor or colleague to help us give you the best service possible.
- When third party funders (ACC, MSD or Oranga Tamariki) require reports for funding, reporting, or auditing purposes.
- If the Police or Oranga Tamariki need information to carry out their duties.
- If the Court requires information in connection with legal proceedings.
- If your notes contain information about another person and they request access to the information. In this case, they are only entitled to know the part about them.
- When we work with several members of a family to support one family member, we may share some information if we think it will help your recovery. We would ask you if this was okay beforehand, or talk to you about it as soon as we can. If you ask that something be kept secret, we’ll let you know if that’s possible.
- If you’re under 16 or unable to make decisions for yourself, we may need to give your caregiver access to some of your information. We will ensure that this is done in your best interests, and your caregiver will only receive access to information that is relevant to supporting your care.
- When we work with other organisations that you’re involved with (e.g. WINZ, CADS or your GP). We’ll seek your permission to speak to them and you’ll be able to see our conversation notes in the file.
- Where you give us permission to share your personal information with another person or organisation.
- When we compile statistics, which are shared in a way that ensures you can’t be identified.
How to make a complaint
If you feel dissatisfied with an aspect of HELP’s service or feel like your rights are not being upheld, please let your counsellor, your social worker or a manager know.
You can request our complaints procedure and form from reception, or you can share your complaint or feedback here, or via email, in a letter, or over the phone.
We aim to provide the highest level of service possible, so we’ll do our best to resolve your concerns and improve where we can.
If you need help making a complaint, there is a free advocacy service available through the Health & Disability Commission – phone 0800 11 22 33.
HELP Auckland is committed is committed to upholding the international Donor Bill of Rights.
Protecting your privacy
The Auckland Sexual Abuse Help Foundation Charitable Trust (trading as HELP Auckland) is registered as a charitable entity in New Zealand. The charity registration number is: CC23863.
Any personal information provided to us is held with the utmost care and will not be used other than as described in this privacy policy. We recognise that your relationship with us is voluntary, and as such, your privacy will be held in the strictest confidence.
In accordance with the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020, we adhere to the following guidelines:
- Information about donations is handled with respect and confidentiality to the extent provided by law.
- Some donors prefer anonymity. We will respect the wishes of contributors who prefer their gift to remain confidential.
- We do not lend, exchange, rent or sell our donor lists to other organisations.
- The personal information you provide when making an online donation, becoming a regular donor, fundraising, or volunteering, will be protected by HELP Auckland.
- When working with any external organisations, e.g. Advertising agencies, mail or print houses, we will only ever disclose your information when necessary and to organisations that agree to honour the terms of this privacy policy.
What information we collect
HELP Auckland collects and uses various personal information from individuals that includes: name, amount donated, campaign supported, address, telephone numbers, e-mail address, comments (including reasons for supporting the charity, communications preferences etc), and occasionally their date of birth.
How we use that information
HELP Auckland will use the information we collect for these purposes only:
- Distribute receipts for donations
- Thank donors for their donation
- Inform supporters about upcoming fundraising and other activities of HELP Auckland. Examples of this may include (but are not limited to): inclusion in our direct mail appeals, telephone appeals, and invitation to donor events. Donors have the right to opt out of their details being used in this way and can contact the fundraising department at any time to do so by emailing supporthelp@helpauckland.org.nz, or by phoning 0800 623 1700.
- Advise volunteers of volunteer opportunities
- Internal analysis and record keeping
Staff and volunteers assume all donations are not to be publicly announced unless the donor explicitly indicates otherwise, either by verbal agreement or by an anonymous opt in when making an online donation.
Comments given may be used anonymously in promotional materials, fundraising campaigns or for service improvements, but will not be attributed to a specific person without receiving prior consent.
Access and Correction of Information
You have the right to access and request a correction to your personal information. To ensure that your recorded personal information is accurate and up-to-date, please notify us of any changes to your personal details as soon as possible by email at supporthelp@helpauckland.org.nz, or by phone on 0800 623 1700.
Financial information
All access to donor financial information is strictly limited to professional staff that need to process this data. Although supporters can opt to donate to HELP Auckland using various methods, the charity uses Stripe for our online payment processing with world-class security, compliance procedures and strong reputation. Find out more about Stripe and their data-handling policies at: https://stripe.com/en-nz/privacy
The Donor Bill of Rights
HELP Auckland is committed is committed to upholding the international Donor Bill of Rights.
Philanthropy is based on voluntary action for the common good. It is a tradition of giving and sharing that is primary to the quality of life. To assure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the general public, and that donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in the not-for-profit organisations and causes they are asked to support, we declare that all donors have these rights:
- To be informed of The Foundation’s mission, the way The Foundation intends to use donated resources, and its capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes.
- To be informed of the identity of those serving on The Foundation’s governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.
- To have access to The Foundation’s most recent financial statements.
- To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.
- To receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition.
- To be assured that information about their donations is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.
- To expect that all relationships with individuals representing organisations of interest to the donor will be professional in nature.
- To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organisation or hired solicitors.
- To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organisation may intend to share.
- To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers.
The Donor Bill of Rights is endorsed by the Fundraising Institute of New Zealand (FINZ) and developed by: American Association of Fund Raising Counsel (AAFRC), Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).
If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes here, so you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances, if any, we disclose it. If at any point we decide to use personally identifiable information in a manner different from that stated at the time it was collected, we will notify you. You will have a choice as to whether or not we may use your information in this different manner.
Complaints
Contact us via email supporthelp@helpauckland.org.nz, or phone us on 0800 623 1700 if you have any complaints or concerns about our protection of supporters’ privacy. If we become aware of any ongoing concerns or problems concerning our privacy practices, we will take these issues seriously and work to address these concerns.
There are no fees for lodging a complaint. Please provide as much detail about the facts surrounding your complaint so we can resolve it accordingly and allow us at least seven days to respond to your complaint. If we fail to resolve your complaint, you may refer the matter to the New Zealand Privacy Commissioner.
Disclaimer
Information on our website about supportive care for sexual abuse survivors and prevention education has been written and edited by HELP Auckland staff, including psychologists, counsellors, and other sexual abuse support professionals. We make every effort to ensure the information provided is as up-to-date and as accurate as possible, however we do not accept liability for misinterpreted or incorrect information.
We respect your rights under the Health and Disability Code of Rights (1996).
Under the Health and Disability Code of Rights (1996), you have the right:
- To be treated with respect
- To freedom from discrimination, coercion, harassment and exploitation
- To dignity and independence
- To services of an appropriate standard
- To effective communication
- To be fully informed
- To make an informed choice and give informed consent
- To support
- To complain
- To have an advocate