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Privacy Policy

The Young Strings Foundation

The Young Strings Foundation (“YSF”, “we”, “us” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information entrusted to us.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal information when you visit our website, contact us, support our work, donate an instrument, make a financial donation, work with us, or apply for support.

We seek to handle personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and other applicable UK data protection legislation.

Who we are

The Young Strings Foundation supports promising young string musicians by providing access to carefully selected and prepared musical instruments.

For the purposes of UK data protection law, The Young Strings Foundation is responsible for determining how and why personal information collected through our activities is used.

Contact:
The Young Strings Foundation
Email: hello@youngstrings.org.uk

Information we may collect

The information we collect will depend on your relationship with YSF and may include:

  • your name and contact details;

  • information submitted through website forms;

  • information about instruments offered or donated to YSF;

  • details relating to donations and financial transactions;

  • communications between you and YSF;

  • information provided by trustees, advisers, teachers and other professionals working with us;

  • photographs, video or testimonials where appropriate permission has been obtained; and

  • technical information generated when you use our website, such as device, browser and cookie information.

Where someone applies for support, we may also collect information about the young musician, their musical education and experience, current instrument, teacher, and the reasons why access to another instrument is being sought.

We will only seek information that is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.

Information about children and young people

YSF exists to support young musicians, so some of the personal information we process will relate to children and young people.

We recognise that children's personal information requires particular care.

Where appropriate, applications and other significant interactions involving children will involve a parent or guardian. We may also obtain information from teachers or other relevant professionals with appropriate knowledge and authority.

We will seek to explain clearly why information is required and how it will be used. We will not knowingly use children's personal information for unrelated marketing purposes.

Photographs, recordings, testimonials or identifiable stories involving children will only be published where we have an appropriate basis and any permissions or consents required.

How we use personal information

We may use personal information to:

  • respond to enquiries;

  • assess applications for YSF support;

  • obtain appropriate teacher or professional input;

  • match musicians with suitable instruments;

  • administer instrument loans;

  • assess and manage instruments offered to the Foundation;

  • communicate with donors and supporters;

  • process donations;

  • manage relationships with trustees, advisers, volunteers and professional partners;

  • maintain appropriate organisational and financial records;

  • operate and improve our website;

  • safeguard young people involved with YSF;

  • meet our legal and regulatory obligations; and

  • communicate about YSF's work where we have an appropriate lawful basis to do so.

We will not sell personal information to third parties.

Our lawful basis for using information

UK data protection law requires us to have a lawful basis for processing personal information.

Depending on the circumstances, we may process information because:

  • you have given us your consent;

  • processing is necessary to take steps towards or fulfil an agreement or contract;

  • processing is necessary to comply with a legal obligation;

  • processing is necessary for our legitimate interests, where those interests are not overridden by your rights and interests; or

  • another lawful basis permitted by UK data protection law applies.

Where we rely upon consent, you may normally withdraw that consent at any time.

Special category and sensitive information

Some applications or safeguarding circumstances could involve information that requires additional protection under data protection law.

We will only collect such information where it is genuinely necessary and where we have an appropriate legal basis for doing so. Access will be limited to those who reasonably need the information.

Teachers, advisers and references

As part of assessing an application, YSF may ask a teacher or other appropriate person to provide information about a musician's development, commitment, current instrument and future needs.

Applicants will be informed where this forms part of the application process.

Information provided by teachers and advisers will be used for the purposes of assessing the application and supporting appropriate instrument matching.

Donations and payments

If you make a financial donation, payment information may be processed by the payment provider used by our website rather than directly by YSF.

We may retain appropriate information about the donation for administration, accounting, Gift Aid where applicable, regulatory requirements and supporter communications.

We do not intend to store complete payment-card information ourselves.

Instrument donors

If you offer or donate an instrument to YSF, we may retain information about you and the instrument, including its history, provenance, photographs, valuation or assessment information and any wishes agreed in relation to its donation.

Where an instrument has been named or donated in memory of somebody, we may retain and publish appropriate information about that association with the donor's agreement.

Sharing information

We may share personal information where reasonably necessary with organisations or individuals who help us operate YSF. These could include:

  • teachers and musical advisers;

  • instrument makers, restorers, dealers or assessors;

  • insurers;

  • professional advisers;

  • website, IT and communications providers;

  • payment processors;

  • regulators or public authorities where required by law; and

  • safeguarding or statutory authorities where disclosure is necessary and appropriate.

We expect organisations processing information on our behalf to handle it appropriately and securely. We will not disclose information about a young musician to an instrument donor without an appropriate basis and, where necessary, the agreement of the musician and/or their parent or guardian.

Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including satisfying legal, accounting, safeguarding and regulatory requirements.

Different categories of information may therefore be retained for different periods.

We will periodically review information we hold and securely delete or anonymise information that is no longer required.

Our website and cookies

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to operate correctly, understand how visitors use the site and provide particular functionality.

Where required, visitors will be given choices about non-essential cookies.

Further information should be provided in our Cookie Policy and through the cookie settings available on the website.

Our website is currently provided using Wix, which may process certain website and technical information as part of providing its services.

Your Rights

Depending upon the circumstances, UK data protection law may give you rights including the right to:

  • request access to personal information we hold about you;

  • ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information;

  • request deletion of information in certain circumstances;

  • ask us to restrict how information is processed;

  • object to certain processing;

  • request transfer of information in certain circumstances; and

  • withdraw consent where processing is based upon consent.

These rights are not absolute and may depend upon the circumstances and the lawful basis on which information is being processed.

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