10 _ Privacy and personal information policy and procedure

Purpose of the policy

This policy describes the practices and procedures by which Allara Learning will ensure the protection of the personal information and right to privacy of all stakeholders of Allara Learning.

Policy

Allara Learning will ensure that it respects the privacy of staff, prospective staff, participants, prospective participants and employers by implementing the National Privacy Principles.

The Privacy Act 1988 and Australian Privacy Principles Guidelines set out how private sector organisations should collect, use, keep secure and disclose personal information. The principles give individuals a right to know what information an organisation holds about them and a right to correct that information if it is wrong.

Allara Learning will ensure it operates consistently with the Privacy Act and only collects the personal information that is necessary for the conduct of its business, and that it will use that information in the manner for which it was intended.

Purpose of collecting information

The purposes for which Allara Learning collects personal information of participants include satisfying legal obligations, administration, to keep employers informed of the participant’s progress during study, and to allow Allara Learning to discharge its duty of care.

The purposes for which Allara Learning collects personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors include satisfying legal obligations, insurance purposes, and administering the individual’s contract of employment.

Release of information

Allara Learning must have the stakeholder’s permission in writing with reference to release of information. This achieved by:

For students: permission is collected via declaration upon enrolment. Additional permission shall be sought as required.

For staff: Allara Learning is required to ask for the staff member’s permission in writing with reference to release of information; this is included in the staff employment agreement, which must be signed prior to employment.

For other stakeholders: permission shall be sought in writing as and when required.

Information collected

Allara Learning collects personal information solely for the purpose of its subsidiary companies TTG and WGL operating as a Registered Training Organisation under the VET Quality Framework administered by the Australian Skills Quality Authority who is the National VET Regulator (NVR).

The requirements of the NVR may mean the release of participants’ or staff members’ personal information for the purposes of an audit.

The type of information Allara Learning collects and holds includes (but is not limited to) personal information, including sensitive information. This may be information collected about students and their parents and/or guardians before, during and after the course of enrolment, job applicants, staff members and contractors, and other people that come into contact with Allara Learning.

The information media may take the form of interviews, feedback surveys, email correspondence, telephone calls, third party information, and application forms.

Data will be uploaded to Allara Learning’s Student Management System (SMS) and/or Learning Management System (LMS), and/or Customer relationship Management (CRM) system.

Provision of information

Student, client or staff information will not be provided to anyone unless Allara Learning has the permission from the student or staff member or is specifically required to provide the information by law. For example, student information is only given to the following bodies where required:

ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority)
STA (State Training Authorities)
Employers, where the participant is a registered trainee or apprentice.

While students are undertaking the training program, there will be times when Allara Learning and/or its Training Facilitators, Client Relations Manager, Administration Officer or other members of staff may need to discuss the students’ program with internal RTO staff and the National VET Regulator (ASQA) , STA, and the students’ employer.

Access to information

Under the Australian Privacy Principles, the student, client or staff member can access his/her personal information and may correct inaccurate or outdated information about them.

Students and clients

Students and clients will have access to all information held on them.

Allara Learning will store and use the information appropriately and limit access to only those who have a legal reason to have access to that information, or whom the student or client has given permission.

Students and clients who request access to their information will be given full access to the details they want. No cost will be charged for them accessing their information whilst they are enrolled students.

To access records, students or clients must submit a request in writing addressed to the CEO or General Manager. Contact details are available via training.gov.au at:

Verification of identity through security questions will be conducted prior to the provision of and access to information.

Staff

Staff will have access to all information held on them.

Information held will be stored with limited access to only those who have a legal reason to have access to that information, or whom the staff member has given permission.

Staff members who request access to their information will be given full access to the details they want. No cost will be charged for them accessing their information whilst they are employed by Allara Learning.

If the person is no longer an employee of Allara Learning and they request access of information, there may be a fee involved, which must be paid in advance of access.

Australian Privacy Principles

Allara Learning abides by the Australian Privacy Principles (AAP’s) and will not pass on a stakeholder’s personal information to anyone in any way that may be considered as breaching the Privacy Principles.

The Australian Privacy Principles fact sheet can be viewed and downloaded from:

http://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-resources/privacy-fact-sheets/other/privacy-fact-sheet-17-australian-privacy-principles