Building Community Foundations for Self-Reliance
We strive to endure, inspire and instill hope within the community.
How We Give Back to Your Community
We want to support your community to promote self-reliance. This means that, as an organization, we are always challenging unfair legislation and injustice, building hope and creating community spaces where people can work together: social ends through business means.
Our front-line services deal with the immediate crises and problems faced by low income people and with the 21% cuts to social assistance, there is an even greater need for our services. We are looking at long-term solutions to the problem of poverty.
Supporting families towards self-sufficiency is about really embracing them when they have fallen into the despair of poverty, and showing them kindness and thoughtful care.
LIFE*SPIN provides the following services to low-income Londoners:
Resource Information
Support
Community-Based Programs
Our Mission
The mission of LIFE*SPIN is to provide information and support for individuals who are surviving off of low incomes. We stand as a pillar of empowerment for the self-development of these individuals in their efforts to attain self-sufficiency.
Our Vision
LIFE*SPIN recognizes that poverty is systemic. In our efforts to help others overcome this, we provide programs and resources that are geared towards enhancing the lives of low-income families through education, advocacy, and community building. By doing this, we hope to achieve a stronger community that is resilient and self-reliant.
Our Values
What keeps LIFE*SPIN unique and innovative is the foundation of personal experience, peer support, and a profound sense of caring for each individual who is courageous enough to reach out to us when they need a hand. We stand for empowerment, non-judgement, and a safe place for people to get assistance.
Privacy Policy
PART C, CHAPTER 4
PROTECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
1. LIFE*SPIN ensures the privacy of people with whom it does business (clients, customers, tenants), members of the Board, staff and volunteers.
2. LIFE*SPIN has a privacy management plan with rules for the collection, storage, use and retention of personal information:
a) as set out in this chapter, and
b) in compliance with the Personal Information Protection in Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).
Definition 3. Personal information includes, but is not limited to:
a) name(s) of the individual(s), their partner(s) and children,
b) home address(es),
c) telephone number(s) and email address(es),
d) Social Insurance Number(s) and other numerical identifiers,
e) financial information, and
f) records of interventions by LIFE*SPIN in the affairs of these individual(s).
Limited Collection and Use
4. LIFE*SPIN collects and uses no more personal information than:
a) it needs to carry out its work, or
b) may be required by law.
Consent
5. The consent of the individual(s) concerned is obtained for the collection, use or disclosure of personal information, except where required by law or is otherwise inappropriate.
6. Parents and legal guardians may give consent on behalf of children or others legally in their care.
7. Before or at the time that they are asked to give consent, individual(s) are told:
a) why the information is needed,
b) how it would be used, and
c) to whom it might have to be disclosed.
8. A record is made of each instance of consent.
Secondary Uses
and Disclosure
9. LIFE*SPIN makes all reasonable efforts to get the further consent of the individual(s) concerned when personal information:
a) is used for any purpose except that for which it was originally obtained, and,
b) must, for operational reasons, be disclosed to third parties, notably in advocacy,
except as may be required by law or for other valid reason.
10. When personal information must, for operational reasons, be shared with a third party, LIFE*SPIN ensures that this party meets its standards for privacy, confidentiality and security.
Information on File
11. Case files ordinarily contain:
a) an intake sheet,
b) a record of the consent provided by the individual(s) concerned,
c) relevant documentation,
d) a record of action taken, and
e) the date of closure.
Accuracy 12. Care is taken to ensure the accuracy of personal information collected by LIFE*SPIN.
Security
13. Members of the Board, individual members of the staff and volunteers are:
a) given access by the Executive Director to only such personal information as they need to:
i. carry out their duties, or
ii. comply with the law.
b) subject to LIFE*SPIN’s Confidentiality Policy (Part C, Chapter 5).
14. Personal information, whether on paper or in digital form, is stored in a physically secure manner, with password protection and/or encryption for digital files, to prevent unauthorized access, use, disclosure or disposal.
15. Confidential documents may not be removed from LIFE-SPIN’s premises in any form (paper or digital), except as:
a) required for operational reasons (notably when advocacy calls for meetings out of the office), and
b) authorized by the Executive Director.
Retention and Disposal
16. Personal information is retained no longer than needed for its intended use.
17. Personal documents on file, whether paper or electronic, are:
a) returned to the individual(s) concerned, or
b) when this is not possible, destroyed by LIFE*SPIN no less than 60 days after the file is closed.
Right of Inspection
18. Individual(s) who have provided personal information to LIFE*SPIN are entitled, with reasonable notice, to inspect their files.
19. Access to a record may be subject to payment of a fee.
Complaints
20. Individuals who have provided personal information may challenge LIFE*SPIN’s compliance with the rules set out by PIPEDA and in this chapter.
21. A copy of this policy is provided to a complainant at the earliest opportunity.
22. A record is kept of all documents associated with a complaint.
23. A challenge is dealt with by the Executive Committee through the complaints policy set out in Part C, Chapter 1.
24. While a client’s request to amend or remove information or documents on file are given sympathetic consideration, LIFE*SPIN reserves the right to determine what it needs to carry out its work on the client’s behalf.
25. If no agreement can be reached under Section 24, LIFE*SPIN may close a case.
Openness 26. On request, LIFE*SPIN makes this policy available to the public.
Accountability
27. The Executive Committee of the Board acts as the compliance coordinator for purposes of PIPEDA.
Adopted by the Board of Directors
LIFE*SPIN