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EveryMan collects, uses, holds, and distributes (if required) your personal information in a way that meets the requirements of the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles 2014 http://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-act/australian-privacy-principles. 

As required by these legislations, we:

  • only collect and use information needed to carry out our services and meet our reporting obligations;
  • ensure that all stakeholders are informed as to why we collect the information we ask for, and how weuse the information gathered;
  • collect and disclose personal information with the clients’ consent;
  • store personal information securely, protecting it from unauthorised access; and
  • provide stakeholders with access to their own information

Who EveryMan collects Personal Information from

EveryMan collects personal information about applicants and clients from them, their legal guardians, other organisations and Government Directorates and Agencies who have authority to provide it.  Sometimes we collect personal information about clients and applicants from a third party or a publicly available source, but only if it is unreasonable to collect it from them.

Sometimes third parties provide information to us without us asking - for example, a referring agency may give us information to help us support you and provide you with suitable accommodation. If they do, and if we can, we take all reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information has been given to us with your consent.

We typically collect personal information which often includes sensitive information from any of the following entities:

  • Australian Federal Police (AFP)
  • Alexander Maconochie Centre
  • Mental Health ACT
  • Public Advocate and Guardianship Tribunal
  • Domestic Violence Crisis Service
  • Justice and Community Safety Directorate (JACS)
  • Canberra Hospital
  • Community Services Directorate
  • OneLink
  • family members of a person and a person's general practitioner

Any personal information we receive from a third party is treated in the same way as if the person had provided it themselves.

Why EveryMan collects Personal Information

We collect information that is reasonably necessary for us to provide our services and supports, and to assist you in meeting your obligations as an EveryMan client:

  • assess applicants and clients’ eligibility and suitability to EveryMan's programs
  • provide health and community support services including counselling, anger management; courses and health support to clients
  • help clients access other services they may need
  • to collate statistical data for public advocacy
  • providing housing, accommodation, tenancy support and related services
  • satisfying our legal obligations including our duty of care to clients, workers, and child protection obligations
  • keeping clients informed about community related matters
  • helping us to improve our day to day operations including employing and training our staff; systems development; plan and develop new programs and services
  • research and statistical analysis, using de-identified information where possible

NOTE: If you do not consent to EveryMan collecting, using and disclosing your personal information, we may not be able to provide assistance to you.

What kinds of Personal Information EveryMan may collect

  • Personal information including your name, address and other contact details, your date of birth, social security reference and next of kin and guardian details.
  • Financial information showing details of your income from pensions, wages and financial investments. We need this information for rent assessment purposes.
  • Statistical information including your nationality, country of birth and languages spoken at home.
  • Sensitive information such as your medical, health and criminal history, treatments you may be receiving, your sexual preferences, and racial and ethnic origins. This information assists us to provide appropriate supports or connect you to supports that can meet your needs
  • Images or photographs captured or obtained.

What Personal Information is used for

We only use personal information to carry out activities related to the services and supports we provide (primary purpose) or for another purpose that would reasonably be expected for us to support you with, or to which you have consented.

How EveryMan collects or discloses personal information

Where possible, we use standardised forms to gain your expressed consent to collect or disclose information.In some circumstances, we may be limited in the way we can obtain your consent, especially if you are unwell or have a disability. In this case it may be necessary for you to give us oral consent. We will keep a record of the conversation held where you have done this.

We also sometimes collect personal information with your implied consent. This may happen when a Case Manager or Counsellor makes notes from your conversation with them.

We use some important principles when looking for your consent to use or disclose personal information:

  • Consent must be voluntary, which means we give you the opportunity say 'yes' or 'no' without pressure.
  • Consent must be informed, which means we will tell you about what it is you are agreeing to. This includes telling you about the consequences of giving or choosing not to give your consent.
  • You must have the ability to give or withhold your consent, which means you must be capable of deciding whether you want to give your consent and understanding the consequences of your decision.

We don’t give your personal information to other organisations or government agencies or anyone else unless:

  • you have given your consent
  • you reasonably expect us to or we have told you we will
  • it's required or authorised by law
  • we think it's necessary to prevent or lessen a serious threat to somebody else’s life, health or safety
  • the Australian Privacy Principles permit (for example, if we reasonably believe disclosing it is reasonably necessary for law enforcement purposes)

Given the nature of our business operations, we sometimes receive personal information by email, letters, notes, over the telephone, in face to face meetings, or through financial transactions.

Storage and Security of Personal Information

We store personal information in three formats; our information database, electronic files and hard copy files.

The security of your personal information is important and we take all reasonable steps to protect the personal information we hold about you from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

These steps include:

  • ensuring all staff are aware of who they can share your information to and how to do it;
  • ensuring information that is stored in hard copy files that these files are stored in lockable filing cabinets and lockable rooms;
  • having offices and information storage facilities with security measures in place;
  • having IT security systems, and policies and procedures that tell us how to protect personal information on our computer networks.
  • having policies and procedures that ensure staff know how to handle personal information.

Making sure third party service providers have policies that protect personal information in line with regulations, and asking them to sign confidentiality and privacy undertakings where we can.

Personal information that is no longer needed is deleted or destroyed in a secure way.

Our website may contain links to other websites. We do not share any personal information with those websites and we are not responsible for their privacy practices. Please check their privacy policies and contact them if you have any concerns.

How we ensure the quality of your personal information

We take all reasonable steps to ensure the personal information we collect, use and disclose is accurate, complete and up to date.

Please contact us if any of your personal details change. You should also contact us if you believe that the information we have about you is not accurate, complete or up to date.

How to gain access to the personal information we hold

You may request access to the personal information we hold about you, or request that we change the personal information by contacting us. If we do not agree to provide you with access, or to amend your personal information as requested, we will notify you accordingly.

Privacy Complaints

If at any time you feel that your personal information may have been used improperly or illegally, or if you wish to make a complaint about a breach of your privacy that you suspect does not align with the Australian Privacy Principles you can do so submitting a complaint by following the link on our website, by email, letter, over the phone or in person to any one of our contact details as below.

How to contact us about our Privacy Policy

o Email the CEO: greg.aldridge@everyman.org.au

o Call the office: 6230 6999

o Write to the CEO: GPO Box 1753 CIVIC ACT 2601

Changes to our privacy and information handling practices

EveryMan Privacy Policy is subject to change at any time as decided by EveryMan or in line with amendments to the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles 2014.