A guide to data protection will help new and existing voluntary and community groups seeking to implement policies and procedures regarding data protection legislation and as part of their overall information management practice.
Covering areas such as:
- What is data protection?
- Why is data protection important?
- What to consider when creating your policies and procedures
- Mergers and partnerships
- Volunteers
Data protection can seem like a very daunting subject for those not familiar with the jargon and legal terms. However, at its very core is the idea of managing information properly to protect individuals and their right to privacy. This is an ideal to which organisations in the voluntary and community sector can easily relate and you may find that you are already complying with many of the requirements mentioned in this document anyway.
This guidance is based on knowledge built up over the past couple of years and is intended as a straightforward introduction to the subject of data protection. It is by no means an authoritative document and it would be impossible to cover every scenario, but it will provide a starting point from which to create data protection policies and procedures for your organisation.
NB. Please note that this guide is NICVA's own work and that while it links to ICO guidance it has not been endorsed in any way by the Information Commissioner's Office.