Privacy Policy and Data Protection for Users of Discover Ministry
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Discover Ministry. The website on which this Policy is hosted is owned and managed by Discover Ministry.
This Privacy Policy is meant to help you understand what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use, disclose, transfer, store, retain, export, and delete your information in accordance with the Law.
Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By accessing or using our websites, you are accepting the terms and conditions of use.
INTERPRETATION
Whenever “We”, “Our” or “Us” is used in this Policy it is referring to your relationship with and an obligation or right, in both Discover Ministry and Discover Church.
“Data Controller” is the entity that determines the purpose for which personal data is collected and processed.
“Data Processor” is the entity processing personal data on behalf of the Data Controller.
“Personal Data” is any information about a living individual, which allows them to be identified, such as a name, email or photograph and can identify them alone or in conjunction with other information.
DATA PROTECTION LAW
This policy explains how we comply with laws and regulations in our respective countries, including the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and the Privacy & Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (“the PECR”) relating to electronic communications (jointly and severally, ”the Law”).
Discover Ministries has agreed that:
a. Discover Church will manage content on that part of the website dedicated to Discover Church where the policy is posted, and in particular, registration for events and online giving;
b. all Personal Data relating to persons resident in the EEA or Australia acquired from or relating to such persons accessing the website for any purpose including, without limitation:
i. making a donation;
ii. registering for any event;
iii. acquiring goods or services through this website;
will be dealt with in accordance with this Policy and the Law;
c. such information will be kept confidential and only be provided to third parties, who assist us, provide goods or services requested by such persons, or with their prior consent.
We will adhere to the Principles of Data Protection as detailed in GDPR and the APPs. Your information will be:
a. processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner;
b. collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed in a manner that is incompatible with those purposes;
c. adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for which they are processed;
d. accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date;
e. kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the personal data are processed;
f. processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data, including protection against unauthorized or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction or damage using appropriate technical or organizational measures.
DATA CONTROLLERS and DATA PROCESSORS
Whilst this Privacy Notice is posted on the website by Discover Ministry as a Data Controller, it is on the section of the website managed by Discover Church where Discover Church is also a Data Controller of personal data you provide.
If you provide personal data directly to Discover Church or through involvement at Discover Church, or to staff or volunteers, Discover Church is Data Controller responsible to comply with its legal obligations under the Law. Where consented or permitted, this personal data is shared with Discover Ministry and Discover Ministry may either process such data on behalf of Discover Church, or as a joint Controller use for its own purposes.
Where Discover Ministry and Discover Church are joint Controllers, both are responsible for how your data is processed.
SCOPE OF THE POLICY
Discover Ministry and Discover Church take your privacy very seriously and this Policy has been adopted as it recognizes the right of people to keep their personal information private.
By providing Personal Data, including by use of this website, you agree to allow us to contact you, including by mail, email, telephone or SMS text message, in connection with our charitable purposes:
a. for our legitimate interests, in accordance with current data protection regulations; or
b. on the basis of the consents you have given.
Modifying Your Preferences
If at any point you would like to change your preferences and:
you do not wish to receive further communications from Discover Ministry and/or Discover Church you attend or previously attended; OR
you wish to change the way you receive any communication
follow the procedure under Your Rights below.
If you disagree with any part of this policy, please do not provide Personal Data to us and do not use the website.
HOW PERSONAL INFORMATION IS COLLECTED
Personal Data is collected each time you are in contact with us, for example, when you:
a. visit the website (see the Cookies Policy);
b. make a donation to Discover Ministry;
c. register for a Discover Ministry event;
d. apply for a job or volunteer for Discover Ministry;
e. provide your contact details, in writing or orally, to Discover Ministry staff or volunteers;
f. purchase goods or services from Discover Ministry, through the website, or directly from Discover Church and when you provide credit or debit card details;
g. participate in other Discover Church activities e.g. Groups;
h. contact us by means such as email, text, letter, telephone;
i. have face to face meetings with staff and volunteers;
j. access social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram;
k. register to any Discover Ministry newsletter, including affiliated websites;
l. opt in to receive SMS communications via web forms or other means (e.g., checking a box on a form for explicit consent).
For children's data (e.g., when registering children for events), we require parental or guardian consent.
TYPES OF INFORMATION COLLECTED
Personal Information
The types of personal information collected by us include:
personal details such as your title, name;
contact details such as postal address, post code, email, mobile and telephone numbers (including for SMS communications);
when relevant to our mission, demographic information such as marital status, nationality, education, employment/qualifications and family details;
financial information such as donation history and your bank details;
spouse and family details when you jointly volunteer, register for events, and/or register your children for any reason at Discover Ministry or Discover Church;
non-financial information such as passports;
employee and volunteer data such as qualifications, languages and experience;
records of your contact with us;
photographs provided by you or taken at Discover Ministry or Discover Church services or events;
visits to the website to enable Discover Ministry to improve its effectiveness and better promote church services and events.
Sensitive/Special Category Personal Information
We may collect and store sensitive personal information (Special Category Information under GDPR) such as:
religious information (attendance at Discover Church and/or Discover Church events / activities, personal faith decisions, baptism);
religious affiliation, permitted when you and/or your family attend, register for Discover Ministry and/or Discover Church events and conferences;
prayer requests.
HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
We collect information about you for a variety of uses based on different reasons. For example, some of the information is disclosed in order to register for activities or events, sometimes we are required by law and regulations to collect and process information about you, and at other times we consider it is in our legitimate charitable interest to collect and process information.
Your personal information will be dealt with in accordance with the Law. It is never sold, nor given away. It is only shared with others where you have given consent or where it is permitted or required either contractually or legally.
We will not use your personal information for any other purpose without first seeking your consent, unless authorized or required by law.
Generally, uses of your personal information based on our legitimate charitable interests and on your consent may include:
keeping you informed as to Discover Ministry and/or Discover Church services, activities, events, resources and conferences (including via SMS for opted-in users);
to promote the interests of Discover Ministry, its Christian mission and its charitable objects;
to manage employees and volunteers;
to fundraise and process donations and related statutory rights and obligations;
to establish and maintain your involvement with us, events you have attended, what areas and activities of Discover Church you have supported, record and acknowledge any donation, to provide the products or services you have requested;
to answer an inquiry or request for further information or complaint about us, our services, activities and events;
to register you for events, conferences and provide the services requested;
to carry out analysis and market research and improve our website and communications, for example by matching anonymized user’s data with social media sites such as Facebook to better understand people’s interests;
to assist Discover Church to provide services and products more valuable to those involved in Discover Ministry and Discover Church community;
to improve our ability to assist the Discover Church attendees and the wider community;
to assist Discover Church and associated Discover Ministry with management and administrative purposes such as accounting, credit/debit card payments, anti-fraud measures, maintenance and development.
For SMS specifically, we use your mobile number only if you have explicitly opted in, to send messages related to marketing, public service announcements, and customer care. Message frequency varies.
Legal Basis for Using Your Personal Information
We will only process your personal information where we have a legal basis to do so. The legal basis will depend on the reason or reasons we collected and need to use your information. Under the Law in almost all cases the legal basis will be:
because it is in our legitimate interest as registered charitable and Christian religious entities to use your personal information to operate and improve our service as churches;
to fulfil any contractual relationship we have with you in relation to provision of products or services, such as registration at events;
because you have consented to Discover Ministry and/or Discover Church using your information for a particular purpose;
because we need to use your personal information to comply with a legal obligation, such as protection and welfare of individuals;
to protect the vital interests of you or another person, for example, in pastoral situations;
to process sensitive / special category personal data that is relevant to us as a not for profit religious organization;
where you have given consent for us to contact you by email, phone or SMS, to send you information and marketing communications.
DATA STORAGE AND WHO SEES YOUR INFORMATION
Information you provide electronically, including through this website, may be held on computers in Discover Ministry locations and on servers globally. For international transfers of EEA data, we use safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses.
Information you provide in paper form, such as consents, letters or recorded in meetings with staff or volunteers, may be transferred to secure virtual systems or stored in secure physical filing systems.
Subject to compliance with our data management policies and procedures, and in compliance with the above Data Protection Principles, information may be accessed, used and stored:
a. on computers in Discover Ministry locations and servers globally; and
b. by a limited number of staff or key volunteers under a duty of confidentiality who are involved in development, maintenance and operation of the website discover.org.au, and other affiliated websites, or the services provided through them, or who act for us for the uses set out in this policy, or other purposes approved by you. Those parties may also process information, fulfil and deliver orders, process credit card payments and provide support services to us.
Third party service providers may process information, fulfil and deliver orders, process donations and credit card payments, and provide support services on our behalf. Where such details are shared, agreements in place restrict the use of your information to the purpose for which it is provided and ensure it is stored securely and in accordance with applicable data protection and privacy laws.
We do not sell or pass any of your personal information to any other organization and/or individuals without your express consent, unless required by law. SMS consent is not shared with third parties or affiliates.
In the event of a data breach, we will notify affected individuals and relevant authorities (e.g., within 72 hours under GDPR) as required.
Financial Records and Card Details
We do not store unredacted financial details (credit or debit card numbers) obtained through online transactions nor do we pass any information to third parties, except where we are legally required to do so, to assist fraud reduction, or to provide a service requested and minimise credit risks.
HOW LONG WE RETAIN YOUR INFORMATION
We will only keep your personal information for as long as it is required and in accordance with the Law and other legal requirements.
If you have indicated that you no longer wish to hear from us, we will keep the minimum information necessary to ensure that no future contact is made.
However, even after you modify your communication preferences, we may retain copies of information about you for a period of time that is consistent with applicable law, applicable statute of limitations or as we believe is reasonably necessary to comply with applicable law, regulation, or legal process.
COOKIES
We use various technologies to collect information when you access or use discover.org.au, and affiliated websites, including placing a piece of data, commonly referred to as a “cookie” on your device. Cookies are small data files that are stored on your hard drive or in your device memory when you visit a website or view a message. By using discover.org.au, and affiliated websites, you permit us to collect and use your information from activity on devices you use in accordance with this Privacy Notice. Please see our separate Cookies Policy for details.
YOUR RIGHTS
Personal Information
Where you have provided your consent to us processing your personal data, you may withdraw this consent at any time. In addition, the Law gives you the right, under certain circumstances:
to request in writing and securely obtain copies of the personal information we hold about you;
to correct or update your personal information held by us;
to request us to stop using your personal information for marketing purposes or for any other purpose where there is no legal requirement for continued processing;
to object to profiling activities based on our legitimate interest;
to request to have all personal data deleted. To exercise any of these rights please contact info@discover.org.au.
Please tell Discover Ministry or Discover Church as soon as any of your contact details change so that records can be kept up to date.
We will take reasonable steps to correct any of your information, which is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date.
If you wish to have your personal information deleted, please contact info@discover.org.au or Discover Church and wherever practicable that information will be deleted.
A request to access, amend or delete your personal information may be refused in certain circumstances. If refused, you will be provided with a reason for the decision and, in the case of amendment, will note with your personal information that its accuracy is disputed.
Marketing Communications
The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) and the Spam Act 2003 (Australia) give you the right:
to choose whether or not to receive marketing communication from us by email, text or telephone;
to know about the cookies Discover Ministry uses, so that you can decide whether to give permission to store a cookie on your device. Please see the Cookies Policy on discover.org.au and affiliated websites.
You can change the way you are contacted, or the kind of material sent to you, at any time by contacting us by mail or e-mail using the contact details below.
Modifying Your Preferences
You will have the opportunity to decline to accept communications at any time and discontinue receiving such communication by:
a. following the instructions to “unsubscribe” on any email or text communication received from Discover Ministry and/or Discover Church;
b. emailing info@discover.org.au;
c. emailing Discover Church which you attend or previously attended, or which contacted you.
For SMS specifically, reply STOP to any message to opt out, or HELP for assistance.
SECURITY
Reasonable steps will be taken to keep secure any personal information, which is held.
Personal information, held electronically, is stored in a secure server or secure files.
The Internet is not a secure method of transmitting information. Accordingly, no responsibility is accepted for the security of information you send to or receive from us over the Internet or for any unauthorised access or use of that information.
Security measures are taken to protect your information from access by unauthorised persons and against unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction and damage.
Where we have given you, or where you have chosen security codes (username, password, memorable word or PIN), which enable you to use any online service, you are responsible for keeping these security details confidential.
LINKS AND SOCIAL MEDIA
This website may also include links to other websites or may provide social media buttons, permitting sharing web content directly to a social media platform, such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and YouTube.
We do not endorse social media website(s) and have no responsibility for the content unless posted by or approved by us nor are we responsible for the cookies such websites may contain.
Use of such buttons or links is at your own risk and you must verify authenticity of sites before posting or providing personal information on such sites.
We do not ask for passwords or personal details on social media.
Websites such as Vimeo and YouTube are used to embed videos on the website and service providers such as GetResponse and Google Analytics may send their own cookies via this site. Please look at the cookie and privacy policies on these third-party sites if you want more information about this.
This website may also contain sponsored links and adverts. These may typically be through related Discover Church, partner ministries or service providers, who may have their own detailed privacy policies.
DOWNLOADS
Any documents or files made available to download from our website are provided at users’ own risk.
REPORTING CONCERNS
Please contact either Discover Ministry or Discover Church if you wish to raise a concern about handling of your personal information through this website or directly to Discover Church if it involves information provided by other means.
CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY NOTICE
Discover Ministry may amend this Policy from time to time to reflect changes in best practice, security and control and to ensure compliance with any changes or amendments to the Law or other applicable legislation in the EEA or Australia. Any amended version will be available on the website. We suggest you visit regularly to keep up to date with any changes.
CONTACT
Contacting Discover Ministry:
If you would like any further information, or have any queries, problems or complaints relating to the Privacy Policy or our information handling practices in general, please contact info@discover.org.au.
SMS Terms of Service
By opting into SMS from a web form or other medium, you are agreeing to receive SMS messages from Discover Church. This includes SMS messages for marketing, public service announcements, and customer care. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. See privacy policy at https://discover.org.au/privacy-policy. Message HELP for help. Reply STOP to any message to opt out.
We support a clear opt-in process (e.g., checking a box on forms) and handle opt-outs automatically via reply STOP. For help, reply HELP or visit discover.org.au.
Implementation on the Website
I can't directly modify or upload to your website (discover.org.au), as I'm an AI assistant. However, here's how to get this live:
Privacy Policy Page:
Create a new page on your site (e.g., via WordPress or your CMS) and paste the modified text above.
Suggested URL: https://discover.org.au/privacy-policy
Make it accessible: Add a link in the footer (e.g., "Privacy Policy") and on any SMS opt-in forms (e.g., "By checking this box, you agree to our Privacy Policy and SMS Terms.").
SMS Terms of Service:
This can be a subsection of the privacy policy (as I did above) or a separate page.
Suggested URL: https://discover.org.au/sms-terms (if separate).
Link it from opt-in forms and the privacy policy.
Consent and Opt-In/Opt-Out:
On web forms: Add a checkbox like: "I consent to receive SMS messages for marketing, announcements, and care. View SMS Terms."
Backend: Ensure your SMS provider (e.g., Twilio) supports keywords: STOP to unsubscribe, HELP to get info (replies with support details or link to website).