The Speak My Language program – Culturally diverse communities talking about living well with a disability – is an initiative funded by the Commonwealth Department of Social Services.
The Speak My Language program is committed to safeguarding the privacy of personal information. The program adheres to the privacy obligations of the Commonwealth Privacy Act, 1988 and the 13 Australian Privacy Principles.
This policy pertains only to the personal information of Storytellers and Story Subjects of Speak My Language (definition of terms below).
This policy does not pertain to the personal information of staff or contractors working for the Speak My Language Lead or Partner Agencies. The handling of personal information in these Agencies is governed by their respective Privacy Policies.
Definitions
Personal Information
Personal information is any information about an individual where the identity of that individual is known, or could reasonably be worked out, including by circumstance.
Storyteller
A Storyteller is a person with a disability who tells their personal story in a recording for the Speak My Language program.
How we handle personal information
Speak My Language documents the consent of Storytellers before we allow an interview to be recorded or published. If the Storyteller mentions another person, Speak My Language will also document the consent of that other person before the interview is recorded and published.
As we deliver the Speak My Language program, Speak My Language staff will need to collect, hold, use and disclose personal information. We will only collect, hold, use or disclose personal information in accordance with the Commonwealth Privacy Act.
Collection of personal information
Speak My Language will only collect personal information if it is necessary to do so. Wherever possible we will collect this information directly from the person. The Speak My Language Lead Agency (ECCNSW) will only accept personal information indirectly (including from Partner Agencies) when there is documented consent to allow this. This could be in the form of a signed consent form or a recording of the person giving verbal consent.
The Speak My Language Lead Agency will reject any recording that is not accompanied by valid consent.
Speak My Language will only accept valid and informed consent. Speak My Language provides potential Storytellers and Story Subjects with written and verbal information about their rights and choices. This information is provided in a format and language appropriate to the person.
Speak My Language asks for the following consents; Consent to:
- record an interview (and hold the recording in a secure location)
- use their name (they may elect to tell their story anonymously)
- publish their interview according to the instructions of the Story Subject and Storyteller with regards to how it should be edited
- use their image, voice recording, or written quotes for promotion of the Speak My Language program and its information products
A person may consent to some, all, or none of these options.
Storytellers can elect to participate in Speak My Language and remain anonymous to the public. Where a person chooses to remain anonymous, Speak My Language may still need to collect their name in order to ensure their name is removed from any recordings.
Holding of personal information
Speak My Language uses a password protected on-line Portal to collect and hold all personal information relating to the program. This Portal is the intellectual property, and responsibility of of the SML Lead Agency, ECCNSW. Speak My Language will not receive personal information via any other method (e.g., email).
The Portal can only be accessed by authorised personnel. The Portal maintains a log of which user(s) accessed the information and when.
Speak My Language will retain personal information relating to the consents that accompany published interviews.
Using personal information
Speak My Language uses personal information when we safeguard, edit and quality check recorded interviews. Staff may also use personal information as they prepare recordings for radio broadcasts. We will only do this where the person has given us consent to hold and use the information in this way.
Where a person has indicated they do not wish their name to be published, we will ensure the quality checker (who speaks the language in which the interview is recorded) is not from the same State or Territory as the Storyteller / Story Subject.
Disclosure of personal information
Speak My Language will publish personal information (recorded interviews and promotional content) only according to the instructions of the person, and only with their documented consent. Personal information may be disclosed to radio station producers or hosts, but this will only occur where the person has given their consent for the personal information to be published (broadcast).
Speak My Language does not disclose personal information to third parties.
Speak My Language Website
The website also contains Information Products in the form of sound recordings and videos. It may also contain promotional images, and/or written information that may contain personal information. This information is published only with the documented consent of the individuals.
The names, images and biographical details of people employed or contracted to Speak My Language are published on the website. The individuals enter their own data in the Portal.
The names, images and biographical details of individuals and agency representatives serving on Advisory Groups may be published. Advisory Members will be informed of this and can elect not to have their name published on the website.
Other Information Collected by the Website
As part of offering and providing information via the website and functions via the Portal, the Speak My Language website uses cookies to maintain session and visit information and to allow Speak My Language to generate statistics about the number of visitors to the site and which parts of the site are accessed. These cookies contain no personal information and can easily be deleted via your web browser if you wish. Blocking cookies for this site or deleting them may prevent some functions of the site from working correctly.
Privacy Concerns
If you have any concerns about privacy you can either contact the Speak My Language National Program Manager directly, or you can fill out the form below and click on 'submit'.
Jenny Bray
Speak My Language National Program Manager
M: 0428 145 219
Complaints
Formal complaints can be made to:
Mary Karras
Chief Executive Officer
Ethnic Communities Council of NSW
M: 0477 888 982
Or in person (by appointment only) at Ethnic Communities' Council of NSW, 221 Cope St Waterloo, NSW 2017.