YOUTHBANK INTERNATIONAL

Privacy Policy

Charity Number: NIC101341

Company Number: 625358

Date Registered: 01/05/2015

Last Date of Review: 12 February 2026

1. Introduction

1.1 YouthBank International (“YBI”, “we”, “our”, “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy and personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share your personal data when you use our Website.

1.2 YBI is the data controller for personal data collected through the Website. Our contact details are: YouthBank International, Community House, Citylink Business Park, 6A Albert Street, Belfast BT12 4HQ. Email: info@youthbankinternational.org.

1.3 This Privacy Policy applies to the YouthBank International website only. Other websites linked from our site will have their own privacy policies, which you should review.

2. Legal Framework

2.1 We process personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Where we process personal data of individuals located in the European Economic Area (EEA), we also comply with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR).

3. Personal Data We Collect

  1.  We may collect the following personal data from visitors and users of the Website:
    1. your name and email address when you register for our newsletter or create a user account;
    2. questions, queries, feedback, and any other information you submit via the Website, including your email address if you contact us;
    3. your IP address, browser type, device information, and details of how you use the Website (collected via cookies and similar technologies);
    4. a record of any correspondence if you contact us.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

  1. We process your personal data on the following lawful bases under Article 6 of the UK GDPR:
    1. Consent: where you have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for a specific purpose (e.g., subscribing to our newsletter);
    2. Legitimate interests: where processing is necessary for our legitimate interests as a charity (e.g., improving our Website, analysing usage patterns) and these interests are not overridden by your rights;
    3. Legal obligation: where processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject.

4.1  Where we rely on consent, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us at info@youthbankinternational.org or by using the unsubscribe link in any marketing email.

5. Children and Young People’s Data

5.1 YBI works with and for young people. We take additional care when processing personal data of children and young people under the age of 18.

YBI is committed to complying with the UK Age Appropriate Design Code (also known as the Children’s Code) in the design and operation of its Website and online services that are likely to be accessed by children. This includes applying the Code’s fifteen standards of age-appropriate design to protect children’s privacy and best interests online.

5.2 In accordance with Article 8 of the UK GDPR and the Age-Appropriate Design Code, where we process personal data of children under the age of 13 on the basis of consent, we will seek verifiable parental or guardian consent before doing so.

Where users are located in the European Economic Area, the age at which a child can provide their own consent to the processing of personal data may differ from 13 in accordance with the applicable member state’s law (for example, the age of digital consent is 16 in Ireland under the Data Protection Act 2018). In such cases, YBI will apply the relevant age threshold as required by the applicable local law.

5.3 For young people aged 13–17, we will provide privacy information in clear, age-appropriate language and will obtain consent directly from them where appropriate under applicable law.

5.4 We do not knowingly collect more personal data from children and young people than is necessary for the purpose for which it is collected.

5.5 Parents or guardians who believe their child’s personal data has been collected without appropriate consent should contact us immediately at info@youthbankinternational.org.

6. How We Use Your Personal Data

  1. We use the personal data we collect to:
    1. improve the content, design, and functionality of the Website;
    2. contact you via email to notify you of changes to our terms, policies, or Website maintenance;
    3. send you our newsletter and updates about YBI’s activities, events, projects, and programmes (where you have opted in);
    4. respond to your queries, feedback, or complaints;
    5. analyse Website usage to improve our services; and
    6. comply with our legal obligations.
  2.  You can opt out of receiving marketing communications at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email or by contacting us at info@youthbankinternational.org.

7. Data Sharing

7.1 We will never sell your personal data to third parties.

7.2 We will not share your personal data with other organisations for their marketing or commercial purposes.

  1. We may share your personal data with:
    1. service providers who process data on our behalf (e.g., website hosting, analytics, email distribution), under written data processing agreements that ensure your data is protected;
    2. law enforcement or regulatory authorities where required by law; and
    3. professional advisors where necessary for the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims.

8. International Data Transfers

8.1 As an international organisation, some of our service providers may be located outside the United Kingdom and/or the European Economic Area.

8.2 Where we transfer personal data internationally, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with UK GDPR, such as Standard Contractual Clauses.

9. Data Retention

9.1 We will retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

  1.  Specific retention periods:
    1. Newsletter subscriber data: retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion;
    2. Website user account data: retained for the duration of your account plus 12 months after deletion;
    3. Website analytics data: retained in anonymised/aggregated form;
    4. Correspondence and complaint records: retained for 3 years from the date of last correspondence.

10. Data Security

10.1 We have implemented appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction, or damage.

10.2 Where we have given you (or where you have chosen) a password to access certain parts of the Website, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential.

11. Your Rights

  1. Under the UK GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:
    1. Right of access: to obtain a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
    2. Right to rectification: to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data;
    3. Right to erasure: to request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances;
    4. Right to restriction: to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data;
    5. Right to data portability: to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format;
    6. Right to object: to object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes; and
    7. Right to withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent, to withdraw that consent at any time.

11.2 To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@youthbankinternational.org. We will respond to your request within one month.

11.3 You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection. You can contact the ICO at: www.ico.org.uk or by telephone on 0303 123 1113.

12. Cookie Policy

12.1 Our Website uses cookies — small text files placed on your device by your browser — to help improve your experience.

 

Essential cookies: These are necessary for the Website to function properly (e.g., remembering your settings, managing your session). They cannot be switched off.

 

Analytics cookies: These help us understand how visitors use our Website so we can improve it. They collect information anonymously. We use [specify analytics provider] for this purpose.

 

Preference cookies: These remember information you have provided (e.g., your location) so we don’t need to ask again.

 

12.2 We will ask for your consent before placing any non-essential cookies on your device. You can manage your cookie preferences at any time through our cookie consent tool or through your browser settings.

12.3 Our cookies are not used to identify you personally, and we do not share cookie data with third parties for their marketing purposes.

12.4 For more information about cookies and how to control them, visit www.aboutcookies.org.

Best practice and ICO guidance recommend that a detailed cookie table be maintained, listing each cookie used on the Website by name, provider, purpose, type, and expiry period. YBI should maybe put a cookie table on the Website (if there isn’t one). A cookie consent banner or tool that allows users to manage their preferences for non-essential cookies should be done if we use cookies –  we have to to be  complianct with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR).

13. Links to Other Websites

13.1 This Website contains links to and from websites of other organisations. This Privacy Policy applies only to the YouthBank International Website.

13.2 When you follow a link to another website, please read that website’s privacy policy. When you arrive at our Website from another site, that site may have passed personal information to us; please check that site’s privacy policy.

14. Changes to This Policy

14.1 We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

14.2 Where changes are significant, we will make reasonable efforts to notify you (e.g., via email or a prominent notice on the Website).

15. Contact Us

15.1 If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us:

By email: info@youthbankinternational.org

By post: YouthBank International, Community House, Citylink Business Park, 6A Albert Street, Belfast BT12 4HQ, United Kingdom