The Information Commissioner reassured voluntary and community organisations in NI that the ICO is there to support them to meet the requirements of the GDPR legislation, as well as provide advice to follow the principles of data regulation. The ICO offers a wealth of templates, toolkits and resources on their website that will make compliance much easier and simpler for voluntary and community organisations. He emphasised that the voluntary and community sector plays an important role in the fabric of Northern Ireland so it’s important that they know that the ICO is there to help and support them to get data protection right.
Information Commissioner John Edwards said: "Data protection compliance can seem tricky as there’s a whole wealth of information available and you may not know where or how to start. That’s where we come in.
The ICO website has resources and support specifically for small to medium-sized organisations and sole traders, to help them get to grips with data protection quickly and easily. We also have an office based in Belfast with a helpline dedicated to helping local organisations as well as a specific Northern Ireland inbox for any data protection-related queries"
The ICO is the UK's independent regulator for data protection law. Their role is to help organisations get data protection right. They also advise government about data privacy issues and take action against those who don't comply with the law. A fundamental part of their work is helping organisations get their data protection right by providing practical advice.
Celine Stravick NICVA CEO said: "NICVA greatly values the work of the ICO in Northern Ireland to help and support the sector to protect and manage its data well. We look forward to working in partnership with ICO over the coming months and years to embed good practice and provide practical help to organisations in this area."
The ICO staff gave practical advice on a variety of data protection issues such as what is personal data, data protection principles, data protection rights, data sharing, breach reporting and ICO resources. Links to the resources are below and the presentation also available to download.
Resources
Personal data
What is personal information: a guide | ICO
Data protection principles
A guide to the data protection principles | ICO
Lawful basis for processing
Lawful basis interactive guidance tool | ICO
Keeping your data secure
11 practical ways to keep your IT systems safe and secure | ICO
Individual rights
What should we consider when responding to a request? | ICO
How to deal with an information request
How to deal with a request for information: a step-by-step guide | ICO
Data sharing
Annex B: Data sharing request form template | ICO
Personal Data breaches
Personal data breaches: a guide | ICO
ICO resources - Advice and guidance for all small organisations, including small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), small businesses, sole traders, small charities, groups and clubs, and small start-ups.
SME web hub – advice for all small organisations | ICO
Training videos
Future sessions
We have workshops planned as part of our Data series on Thursdays in October 2023. You can register by clicking the links below.
Improving your Cyber Security | NICVA
Getting better with data | NICVA
