Purpose and Scope
Fortem Australia (“Fortem”) is committed to protecting your privacy and is bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act) and Australian Privacy Principles (‘APPs’) in relation to the handling of personal information. This Privacy Policy sets out how Fortem handles personal information. It also explains how individuals can seek to access and correct their personal information and make a privacy complaint. Our Human Resources Privacy Policy addresses how we deal with personal information relating to our employees, prospective employees and contractors.
Collection of personal information
Phone calls and emails
We may ask you to provide contact and other details when you contact us by phone or email for the purpose of facilitating services.
Website
There are many aspects of Fortem’s website, located at URL https://fortemaustralia.org.au/, which can be viewed without providing any personal information to Fortem. However, for access to Fortem activities or services, to fundraise or to provide a donation you are required to submit personally identifiable information, such as your name and information about how you are using the Website. Similarly, we may ask you to provide contact and other details, such as your phone number, postal and email address to utilise other aspects of the Website, including donating to Fortem, signing up as a volunteer, setting up a fundraising page, seeking to participate in an activity, or subscribing to the Fortem newsletter.
Wellbeing activities
Fortem collects information about those we offer services to, such as their name, their service details, and other relevant information for the purpose of facilitating services to participants (national security personnel, first responders, and their families). Clinical Support When initiating engagement with the clinical service clients are provided information and consent forms around their privacy and confidentiality, as well as consent for release of information forms to complete.
Transition and Employment Program
Fortem collects information from those interested in joining the program such as their name, agency, state, postcode, serving status/reason for transition. During the initial session participants are informed about their privacy and confidentiality rights around data collected during sessions. Information collected during sessions may include work history, resume, education history etc.
Donations, volunteering and other support
If you make a donation, volunteer with Fortem, or are otherwise involved in supporting Fortem, we may collect personal information about you for the purpose of facilitating your support. For example, if you volunteer, Fortem may need to collect your name and contact details, for the purpose of managing your volunteering. Fortem may also use your contact details to provide you with information about the activities of Fortem, such as via Fortem’s newsletter.
Photographs and recordings
Fortem may, either by ourselves or via contracted third parties, take photographs and make audio and video recording during the course of events which Fortem organises or is associated with, for the purpose of promoting Fortem and raising and administering funds to support participants. Participants signing up for wellbeing activities are asked to agree the free use of their image in any broadcasts, telecasts, and in the press, including website and social media as a part of their registration form. This permission can be withdrawn at any time.
Newsletter and promotional materials
If you subscribe to our newsletter, Fortem will need to collect personal information about you, such as your name, email address and postcode, which it will use to provide you with Fortem’s newsletter. If you do not wish to receive this information you may unsubscribe at any time. Your local team may send you tailored information around upcoming activities in your area. To opt out of these, contact Fortem using the contact details listed below in the ‘Contacting us’ section.
Job application and employment
Applications for jobs in which a candidate may be considered by Fortem at a later date may be retained by Fortem for a period of no longer than 12months (one year) following the submission of an application. In such instances, all appropriate efforts to retain the confidentiality of the application and candidate will be undertaken, including but not limited to storing documents in line with the appropriate best-practice procedures. Not all applications will be stored. Fortem reserves the right to determine which applications are appropriate to be retained. Any applications not retained by Fortem will be deleted by Fortem, but may remain stored on the website on which the application was lodged. In the instance where a candidate is successful in obtaining employment with Fortem due to a saved application, Fortem will be forthcoming about this. For more information about the collection and use of Fortem’s employees’ personal information, please refer to our HR Privacy Policy.
Website Analytics
We use Google Analytics to collect anonymised data about your interaction with our website, which is hosted by a third party. This data is collected for the purpose of improving our website and online services. The types of data collected include your device’s IP address, geographic location (country only), search terms and pages visited, and data and time of website access.
Cookies
We may collect information in the form of ‘cookies’ about your visit to the Website via ‘cookies’. Cookies are non-personally identifiable information, and include information about the device you used to browse the Website (such as browser type, version and language, and operating system), information about the pages viewed while browsing the Website (pages visited, day and time of your visit, whether you used a search engine to find us, and referring website address), and some geographical information about what country and state you are in. This collected information is used solely for Fortem’s internal purpose of gauging visitor traffic, trends and delivering personalised content to you while you are at the Website. If you wish, you can set your browser to reject cookies, or to notify you when you receive one in order to accept or reject such receipt in each instance.
Use and disclosure of personal information
Fortem will generally only use, and may disclose, your personal information for the purpose for which we collect it, or a related purpose. We may also share personal information with contracted service providers who provide services on our behalf, for example handing customer support enquires, and IT service providers. Where this occurs, we only provide those entities with the personal information they need to deliver the service and take reasonable steps to ensure these contracted service providers are subject to confidentiality and privacy obligations in relation to the protection of your personal information. Fortem also uses data records of questionnaire completion associated with service provision. This comes in the form of survey (wellbeing activities), self-report measures (standardised and informal) for clinical and transition services. The data set for survey is anonymously tabulated and contributes to reporting on globalised statistics rather than individual analysis, with the exception of pre/post survey for long program (over 4 weeks) or weekend activity engagement. Pre/post measures for clinical services are maintained within the client medical record and likewise contribute to globalised trends in clinical services as well as individually oriented observations of change. No individual or identifiable clinical measure information is presented in public or reporting domains.
Fortem marketing and promotional material
Fortem may use the personal information you provide to us to provide you with information about Fortem via our newsletter, and to promote Fortem’s purpose of raising and administering funds to support service personnel. Other purposes Fortem may use and disclose your personal information for other purposes if:
- you provide consent;
- the use or disclosure is required or authorised by law;
- the disclosure is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to the life, health or safety of any individual or to public health or safety; or;
- the disclosure is otherwise permitted under the Privacy Act and Australian Privacy Principles.
Storage of your personal information
Fortem holds your personal information in a combination of hard copy and electronic files. Fortem will take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to protect your personal information from the risk of misuse, interference and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. For example, we have systems and procedures in place to safeguard information, including the use of technical measures such as encrypted servers and maintaining physical security in order to prevent unauthorised access to records, documents and materials. We will take steps to destroy or de-identify your personal information where we no longer require it.
Participant records – storage, maintenance and protection
Fortem maintains clinical and transition client related information in a protected, ‘electronic medical record’, style of digital record keeping. Access to this information is restricted and client file notation (a requirement for each clinical and transition related interaction), is limited to the clinician or case manager engaged in the client’s care and transition provisions. The clinical team are bound by discipline-specific codes of ethics that ensure that client sensitive information is kept confidential and private. This is a requirement of their registration as a health provider to ensure clients have protection and can establish safety and trust in their care provider. All staff members both clinical and non-clinical are provided with education and training to ensure that they consent in an informed manner to upholding client confidentiality.
Record retention
Collected and maintained information of a client that has engaged with clinical services is mandated to be retained for 7 years following the last consultation. For children, the file must be stored until the child turns 25 years old. This is a commitment that Fortem makes to comply with legislation under the Privacy Act. Accessing and correction of your personal information You have a right to access and correct your personal information that is held by Fortem, subject to exceptions allowed by law. Clients are also permitted to request a clinical handover or a brief report to other health providers engaged in their care. File transfer is not permitted. If you would like to access your personal information, please contact Fortem using the contact details listed below in the ‘Contacting us’ section. Fortem reserves the right to charge a fee for searching for, and providing you with access to, your personal information on a per request basis.
Privacy complaints and further information
If you have a concern about your privacy, Fortem’s compliance with the Australian Privacy Principles, or a query on how Fortem handles your personal information, please contact us using the contact details listed below in the ‘Contacting us’ section. We will respond to your query or complaint as soon as reasonably practicable. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may also contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
Fortem reserves the right to make amendments to this Privacy Policy at any time.
Contacting Us
Email: info@fortemaustralia.org.au