Privacy Policy

1.  Who are we?

Youth For Understanding (YFU) is a volunteer-based global non-profit community driven by the passion of people, consisting of 55+ member organizations across six continents. As a leader in intercultural exchange and educational programs for more than 60 years, YFU has impacted more than 270.000 students – and their host families, schools and networks – and more than 70.000 volunteers.

Our mission is to advance intercultural understanding, life-long learning, global competencies, mutual respect and social responsibility through transformational educational exchangesfor generations of youth, families and communities, supported by dedicated volunteers and professional staff.

Youth For Understanding International Educational Services (YFU IES) and European Educational Exchanges - Youth For Understanding (EEE-YFU) as overarching supranational entities together form YFU’s Global Office, the global structure that works to enable the YFU membership worldwide to achieve its mission by providing leadership, critical services and opportunities to grow and thrive as (a) sustainable and quality organization(s).

As the responsible entities for the data processing we, 

Youth For Understanding International Educational Services (YFU IES)

c/o The Corporation Trust Company

1209 Orange Street

Wilmington, Delaware 19801, USA

and

European Educational Exchanges - Youth For Understanding (EEE-YFU)

Avenue Ernest Cambier 161
1030 Brussels
Belgium

undertake all necessary technical and organisational measures to ensure comprehensive data protection. 

For questions related to this Privacy Policy, please contact the YFU Global Office:

YFU Global Office

Avenue Ernest Cambier 161
1030 Brussels, Belgium

E-Mail: dataprotection@yfu.world

2. What data do we collect?

2.1 General information

Personal data is information and/or facts related to a specific individual. Personal data includes, for example, name, address, telephone number and e-mail address. We use personal data in accordance with the applicable law.

2.2. Automatically collected usage data

Every time the YFU website is used, so-called “usage data” is recorded in server log files, as is common on the internet. This log file information is automatically transmitted by your internet browser. This includes the following data: IP address of the computer from which the YFU website is accessed; Internet address of the website from which the YFU website was visited (so-called origin or referrer URL); Name of the retrieved files or information; Date and time as well as duration of the retrieval; amount of transferred data; Operating system and information about the internet browser of the computer accessing the YFU website; http status code (for example, "request succeeded" or "requested file not found").
Information in Log files of the above kind is stored by YFU for security reasons (e.g. for the identification of attack attempts) for a maximum of one year, depending on the number of hits and then deleted (except for data where further storage is required for evidence purposes).

Information in Log files may in individual cases be forwarded to investigative authorities. Otherwise, log file information is stored solely in anonymous form to continuously improve this internet presence, to adapt it to the interests of the users and to find or correct errors more quickly.

We retain your data only as long as it is necessary for organisational reasons and permitted by data protection law. 

2.3. Contact forms
You can send us a message via the contact forms on the YFU website. Providing your name and your e-mail address is obligatory. If you would like an answer by telephone, you can enter your telephone number in the contact form. We use your data from the contact form exclusively to process your questions and suggestions and to be able to reply.

2.4. Application forms
Application forms are used in specific situations, and only relevant persons will process the shared information. All information received is processed only for a specific purpose and In compliance with the GDPR.

3. Do we also collect sensitive data? 

No, we do not collet sensitive data as defined by the EU GDPR. 

4. What do we use your data for - and on which legal basis?

4.1. We use your data for advertising purposes and for providing the YFU website

We use contact details of participants of our activities as is legally permissible in order to stay in contact with our alumni, to attract members, volunteers or host families and to fundraise. The legal basis for this is a weighing of interests - we have a legitimate interest in promoting our activities. 

If necessary, we will forward the incoming messages to a specific MO country (Contact form - Leave us a message). 

YFU will never transfer your personal data to third parties for advertising purposes or use it for advertising purposes of third parties. Of course, the use of data for YFU’s promotional purposes can be objected to at any time.

If the YFU website is used, personal data will also be processed following a weighing of interests, see also Section 2 (Which data do we collect?), Section 10 (Social Plugins), Section 11 (Cookies) and Section 12. (Web analytics). Our legitimate interest is to manage the content of the YFU website safely and informatively and to analyse, optimize and operate this online content. 
 
4.2. We use your data with your consent
In the case of an application to or participation in one of our activities, we process personal data with the consent of the persons concerned. The transfer of your data to us is always voluntary. 

5. To whom do we transfer your data?

Within YFU, employees use your data only to the extent necessary to implement the measures or to protect legitimate interests. We can only provide a large part of our services thanks to the contribution of volunteers (e.g. organising the trainings and educational activities). Volunteers will therefore also receive your data, as far as this is required for the specific task.

Outside of YFU, the recipients of your data are venues, project partners and funders. 

In addition, some service providers undertake the sending or printing of documents for us or are employed by us in the areas of IT services, telecommunications or debt collection. These providers will only act on our behalf and under our responsibility in accordance with our instructions.

6. Do we transfer your data to countries outside the European Union or the European Economic Area? 

When inquiries about exchange programs, hosting or volunteering opportunities are coming from interested individuals from outside the EU, we address the member organisations in their home country to reply to the request.

7. Your rights are important to us

We not only do value your privacy, but we also want to provide you with comprehensive information on the use of your data and to answer your questions usually within 10 working days. For inquiries about the use of your data, we will contact you immediately. In exceptional cases, where we may need more than 1 month to answer your question, we will let you know in advance how long that will take. If we have provided data to third parties, we will notify them to the legally required extent about the correction, deletion or processing restriction of your data.

You have the following rights when processing your data:

7.1 Your right of access and to rectification 

You have the right to know which personal data we process concerning you. This includes among others, information about the purposes of processing, categories of personal data concerned, recipients of the data and duration of the storage. If data is stored incorrectly, you have the right to have inaccurate personal data corrected or to have incomplete personal data completed. 

7.2. Your right to erasure 

You have the right to erase your data, for the following reasons: 

• your personal data are no longer necessary in relation to the purposes for which they were collected.
• you withdrew consent on which the processing is based, and where there is no other legal ground for the processing.
• you object to the processing and there are no overriding legitimate grounds for the processing.
• when the personal data have been unlawfully processed.
• when the personal data have to be erased for compliance with a legal obligation.
• when the data of children under the age of 16 are processed without parental consent. 

7.3. Your right to restriction of processing

You have the right to request the restriction of processing where one of the following applies:

• you have contested the accuracy of the personal data and we have had the opportunity to verify the accuracy of the data.
• when the processing is unlawful, and you request the restriction of processing instead of the erasure of the data.
• when we no longer need the personal data for the purposes of the processing, but you need the data subject for the establishment of legal claims.  
• when you have objected to processing the data pending verification of whether your legitimate grounds override. 

7.4. Your right to data portability
You have the right to receive the personal data concerning you in a machine-readable format, based on consent or on a contract and the processing is carried out by automated means. 

7.5. Right to lodge a complaint
You have the right to lodge a complaint with a competent supervisory authority about the processing of data by YFU if you believe that we have improperly processed your personal data.

7.6. Your general right to object
You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data, where the data processing takes place based on weighing of interests. In case of an objection, we will no longer process your personal data unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for processing that outweigh your interests and rights, or the processing is for the purposes of the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.
The objection does not require any specific form and can be sent by e-mail to dataprotection@yfu.world  or by post to:

YFU Global Office
Avenue Ernest Cambier 161
1030 Brussels
Belgium

7.7. Your right to object to data processing for advertising purposes
YFU Global Office uses the personal data collected to a limited extent for promoting the activities of our non-profit organisation: for example, for public affairs, impact report, campaigns and for fundraising. YFU Global Office will never transfer the personal data collected to third parties for advertising purposes or use it for advertising purposes of third parties. Of course, the use of data for YFU’s promotional purposes can be objected to at any time. In the event of an objection we will no longer process your personal data for these purposes. 
The objection does not require any specific form and can be sent by e-mail to: dataprotection@yfu.world or by post to:

YFU Global Office
Avenue Ernest Cambier 161
1030 Brussels
Belgium

8. Are you required to give us specific data?

The transfer of your data to us is always voluntary. 

9. How long do we save your data? 

We retain your data only as long as it is necessary for organisational reasons and permitted by data protection law. 

10. Social Plugins

We use social plugins of the social networks Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ on the YFU website based on our legitimate interests. Our legitimate interest lies in the analysis, optimization and economically viable operation of our website. 

The plugins of the social network Facebook are used, and are available at www.facebook.com of Facebook Inc. (1601 S. California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA) as well as from Facebook Ireland Limited (4 Grand Canal Square, Dublin 2, Ireland) (hereinafter "Facebook" or "Plugin Provider"). 

The plugins of the social network Twitter are used, and are available at www.twitter.com of Twitter Inc. (1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA) hereinafter "Twitter" or "Plugin Provider".  

The plugins of the social network Google+ are used, and are available at https://plus.google.com of Google LLC. (Mountain View, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA) hereinafter "Google+" or "Plugin Provider".  

The plugins represent independent extensions of the plugin providers. Therefore, YFU has no influence on the extent of the plugin providers' collected data via plugins. For example, if you click the "like" button on Facebook, leave a comment or otherwise interact directly with a plugin, the information will be transmitted directly from your internet browser to Facebook and stored there. This information may be posted on Facebook and displayed to others.  

Even if you are not a member of one of the mentioned plugin providers, there is still the possibility that they will receive your IP address and save it when you click on the plugins. For the purpose and scope of the data collection and the further processing and use of the data by the plug-in providers, as well as your rights in this regard and settings options for the protection of your privacy, please refer to the privacy policy of: 

Facebook

Twitter

Google+

11. Cookies

The YFU website uses cookies from Google Analytics. Cookies are small files with textual information that are transmitted to the internet browser (such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox) while the content is being accessed. Cookies are automatically saved on your computer. Using cookies, YFU is unable to establish a personal reference to unregistered users. However, cookies help making the website more user-friendly. You can disable the storage of cookies on your computer in your internet browser settings, but this may result in an impairment of the correct functioning of the website. Alternatively, you can set your internet browser to inform you about the transmission of cookies. Already stored cookies can be deleted at any time in the system settings of your internet browser.

12. Web analysis

We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC (1600 Amphitheater Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA, hereafter "Google"), on the YFU website, based on our legitimate interests (the analysis, optimization and economically viable operation of our website). Google Analytics uses cookies (see section 11 above) that are stored on your computer and allow an analysis of the use of this website. The information generated by the cookies about your use of the YFU website is usually transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there. Google is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement, which provides a guarantee to comply with the European data protection law.

On behalf of YFU, Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the YFU website, compile reports on website activity and provide other services related to website activity and internet usage to YFU. The IP address transmitted by your browser within the framework of Google Analytics will not be merged with other data provided by Google but will be anonymised by shortening it. The data collected by Google Analytics are also not used by YFU to identify the visitor to the YFU website and are not merged with personal data. You may also disable the cookies used for web analytics using your internet browser settings, but this may result in an impairment of the correct functioning of the website (see the "Cookies" section above).

You may also prevent the collection of the data generated by the cookies and related to your use of the YFU website by Google, as well as the processing of such data by Google, by downloading the add-on for your current internet browser available at the link below and install: https://tools.google.com/dlpag...

If you use different internet browsers on your computer (e.g. the Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox), you should download the add-on for each internet browser with which you use this website. 

For general information about the Google Analytics and Google's privacy policy, visit the following Google website: https://support.google.com/ana...

13. Links to other websites 

Websites of other providers, which can be accessed from our website via a link, have been designed and provided by third parties. YFU has no influence on the design, content or function of the linked websites. Despite reviewing the content within the legally required framework, we must therefore decline any responsibility for the content of all linked websites of other providers. Please note, the third-party websites linked via our website may install their own cookies on your computer or collect personal data. YFU Germany [replace with the name of the respective YFU organisation] has no influence on this. Please inform yourself on respective data protection policies directly at the providers of any linked websites.

14. Changes to the privacy policy

YFU reserves the right to change this Privacy Policy at any time without notice. If necessary, please inform yourself about the current privacy policy before using our website.