Privacy Policy

Camp America is a trading name of the American Institute for Foreign Study, Inc (“AIFS US”), which is part of a group of companies with the American Institute for Foreign Studies (UK) Limited (“AIFS UK”) and the American Institute for Foreign Study (Australia) Pty Ltd (“AIFS AU”). AIFS UK and AIFS AU assists AIFS US in the administration of the Program (defined below). 

AIFS US, AIFS AU and AIFS UK (collectively “AIFS”/“we”/“our”/“us”) take your privacy very seriously and are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy.

This Policy, together with a) our Website Terms of Use, b) our Cookie Policy, and c) our Terms and Conditions (each as described in OTHER TERMS WHICH MAY APPLY TO YOU below), applies to personal information that we, our third party agents (“Agents”) and/or interviewers (“Interviewers”) collect about you.

Where we refer to the “Camp America Website” in this Policy, we mean the websites which can be accessed at https://mycampamerica.com/, https://www.campamerica.com.au/ and any other “campamerica” website operated by us (including any updates or supplements to them). Where we refer to the “Program”, we mean the Camp America cultural exchange program, as part of which individuals undertake work placements with summer camps based in the USA (“Camps”), overseen by “Camp Directors”.

Please read this Policy carefully to understand our views and practices regarding your personal information and how we will treat it.

Topics Covered:

• Who This Policy Applies To
• Other Terms Which May Apply To You
• Information We Collect (Including When And How We Collect It)
• How We Use Your Information And Our Legal Basis For Doing So
• Sharing Your Information
• Retaining Your Information
• Transferring Your Information Overseas
• Children’s Information
• Keeping Your Information Secure
• Updating And Accessing Your Information
• Your Rights
• Marketing
• Other Websites
• Changes To This Policy
• How To Contact AIFS

Who This Policy Applies To

This Policy applies to:

• “Camp Counsellors”, i.e. someone who registers for or applies to the Program to become a camp counsellor, and/or who takes part in the Program as a camp counsellor;
•  “Visitors” to the Camp America Website, i.e. someone who visits and/or uses the Camp America Website but who does not register for or apply to the Program.

Unless we say otherwise, the terms of this Policy apply to all Camp Counsellors, and Visitors.

Other Terms Which May Apply To You

This Policy refers to the following additional terms, which also apply to your use of the Camp America Website and, if applicable, your participation in the Program:

Website Terms of Use

Our “Website Terms of Use” govern your use of the Camp America Website.

Cookie Policy

Our “Cookie Policy” sets out information about the cookies we use on the Camp America Website.

Terms and Conditions

If you are a Camp Counsellor, as part of your application to the Program, we will ask you to read, acknowledge and sign our “Terms and Conditions”

Information We Collect (Including When and How We Collect It)

We collect the following personal information from and about you:

1. Information you give us
2. Information we collect when you visit the Camp America Website
3. Information provided by third parties

1. Information you give us.

You may give us information about you:

• when you register your interest in or apply to take part in the Program;
• as part of the placement process (for example, in any interviews you undertake);
• when you take part in the Program;
• when you use the Camp America Website, for example, if you upload any documents or files that contain personal information;
• if you complete a survey or provide feedback on the Camp America Website;
• if you report a problem with the Camp America Website; and
• if you contact or correspond with us (for example, by phone, e-mail or otherwise) for any other reason.

If you are a Camp Counsellor when registering your interest in the Program, you:

• ​must provide us with your name, gender, mobile telephone number, email address, password, date of birth, and country of residence;

When applying to take part in the Program and/or as part of the placement process, you:

• must provide us with your nationality, t-shirt size, passport and visa details (including your town and country of birth), skills, current education and/or employment, education and/or employment history, childcare experience, preferred city of departure, and background information (including information about your family, hobbies and interests). You must also tell us whether English is your native language, whether you have a current (full) driving licence, whether you have a connection with a particular Camp, and why you think you should be a Camp Counsellor; 
• must provide us with details of two educational and/or professional referees (including their name, position, telephone number(s), email address, and whether they speak English), and details of your emergency contact (including their address, telephone number(s) and email address);
• must tell us whether you are willing to work at certain types of Camps (including single sex Camps, Camps with a degree of Christian emphasis and Camps for individuals with additional needs);
• may provide us with your religion, height and weight;
• must provide us with a profile photo of you and two activity photos of you;
• may provide us with a short video of you;
• must provide us with details of any criminal convictions and a criminal record check, which may include details of the commission or alleged commission by you of any criminal offence;
• must provide us with details of any medical conditions which are relevant to your ability to take part in the Program or to be placed with a Camp, which may include details of your medical history and any medical or health conditions (including any disabilities);
• must provide us with information to enable us to provide you with insurance (or provide information from your own insurance policy); and
• may provide us with your Skype ID, details of other languages you speak and any additional information about yourself.

When taking part or after taking part in the Program, you:

• may provide us with information about you, for example, in any feedback, comments, blog articles or complaints you make or provide about the Program or your involvement in the Program; and
• may provide us with your then-current contact details to enable us to keep in touch with you as an alumnus of the Program.

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​​2. Information we collect when you visit the Camp America Website.

Each time you visit the Camp America Website, we will automatically collect the following:

• certain technical information, for example, the type of device (and its unique device identifier) you use to access the Camp America Website, the internet protocol (IP) address used to connect your device to the internet, your login information, browser type and version, time zone setting, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system, mobile network information and platform;
• information about your visit to the Camp America Website, including the full Uniform Resource Locators (URL), clickstream to, through and from the Camp America Website (including date and time), pages you viewed, page response times, download errors, length of visits to certain pages, page interaction information (such as scrolling, clicks, and mouse-overs), and methods used to browse away from the page; and
• certain cookies that are capable of identifying your device (see our Cookie Policy to understand which cookies the Camp America Website uses).

3. Information provided by third parties.

If you are a Camp Counsellor: when applying to take part in the Program and/or as part of the placement process:

• we will obtain information about you from our Agents and Interviewers;
• we will obtain information about you from your doctor when they complete our medical form;
• we will obtain information about you from other third parties, including law enforcement agencies, governmental authorities, insurance companies, embassies, child protection authorities and your educational and/or professional referees;

When taking part or after taking part in the Program:

• we may obtain feedback, comments or complaints about you from Camps (including Camp Directors) and/or others taking part in the Program.

How We use Your Information and Our Legal Basis for Doing So

We collect personal information so that we can operate effectively and provide you with the best possible service. The information we process depends on the context of your interactions with us, with our Agents and/or Interviewers, with Camps (including Camp Directors) and with the Camp America Website, and your involvement in the Program. It also depends on the choices you make, for example the consents you provide, the functions you use and the privacy settings you select. You may choose not to provide or allow us to collect certain information, but if this is the case, we may be not be able to consider you for the Program (where that information is necessary for us to do so).

Learn more below about how we use your information and what our legal basis is for using it if you are a:

• Camp Counsellor 
• Visitor

Camp Counsellors 

1. a) Type(s) of personal information we process:

• Name
• Telephone number(s)
• Email address
• Address
• Date of birth

1. b) Why we process this personal information:

​To help us to identify you and any account you hold with us.

1. c) Our legal basis for processing this personal information:

To allow us to perform our obligations under our agreement with you, and/or to take steps at your request prior to entering into our agreement with you.

2. a) Type(s) of personal information we process:

• Date of birth
• Country of residence
• Whether English is your native language
• Other languages spoken
• Current education and/or employment
• Education and/or employment history
• Childcare experience
• Skills
• Whether you have a connection with a particular Camp
• Whether you are willing to work at certain types of Camps
• Details of your referees and information provided by those referees
• Other information provided by you about why you are suitable for the Program
• Personal information you provide to our Agents and/or Interviewers
• Information required for insurance purposes (including information from your own insurance policy if applicable)

2. b) Why we process this personal information:

​To enable us, our Agents and Interviewers to contact you about the Program and/or consider your eligibility for it.

2. c) Our legal basis for processing this personal information:

To allow us to perform our obligations under our agreement with you, and/or to take steps at your request prior to entering into our agreement with you.

3. a) Type(s) of personal information we process​:

• Date of birth
• Whether English is your native language
• Other languages spoken
• Current education and/or employment
• Education and/or employment history
• Childcare experience
• Skills
• Whether you have a connection with a particular Camp
• Information provided by your referees
• Other information provided by you about why you are suitable for the Program
• Personal information you provide to our Agents and/or Interviewers

3. b) Why we process this personal information:

To enable Camp Directors to consider your suitability for their Camp.

3. c) Our legal basis for processing this personal information:

To allow us to perform our obligations under our agreement with you.

4. a) Type(s) of personal information we process:

• Name
• Telephone number(s)
• Email address
• Address
• Date of birth
• Gender
• T-shirt size
• Preferred city of departure
• Passport and visa details
• Information required for insurance purposes (including information from your own insurance policy)
• Personal information you provide to our Agents and/or Interviewers

4. b) Why we process this personal information:

To allow us to perform our obligations under our agreement with you, and to provide you with information and services that you request from us.

4. c) Our legal basis for processing this personal information:

To allow us to perform our obligations under our agreement with you, and/or to take steps at your request prior to entering into our agreement with you.

5. a) Type(s) of personal information we process:

• Profile photo of you
• Activity photos of you
• Video of you
• Your biography (as provided by you), including details of your family, hobbies and interests
• Other information provided by you about why you are suitable for the Program
• Whether you have a connection with a particular Camp
• Information provided by your referees
• Personal information you provide to our Agents and/or Interviewers (if appropriate)
• Skype ID
• Whether you have a driving licence

5. b) Why we process this personal information:

To promote you to Camp Directors and/or to allow them to contact you.

5. c) Our legal basis for processing this personal information:

To enable us to pursue our legitimate interests to allow a Camp Director to consider your suitability for their Camp.

6. a) Type(s) of personal information we process:

• Name
• Telephone number
• Email address
• Address
• Information in any feedback, comments or complaints you make or provide about the Program or your involvement in the Program
• Any other relevant personal information

6. b) Why we process this personal information:

To deal with any enquiries, correspondence, concerns or complaints.

6. c) Our legal basis for processing this personal information:

To allow us to perform our obligations under our agreement with you, and/or to take steps at your request prior to entering into our agreement with you.

7. a) Type(s) of personal information we process:

• Name
• Telephone number
• Email address
• Address
• Date of birth
• Passport and visa details
• Information required for insurance purposes (including information from your own insurance policy)

7. b) Why we process this personal information:

To support you with your participation in the Program, e.g. with:

• your visa application;
• your insurance
• your repatriation;
• your travel, accommodation and insurance; and/or
• paying costs and expenses on your behalf.

To verify your visa eligibility and/or comply with visa regulations.

7. c) Our legal basis for processing this personal information:

To allow us to perform our obligations under our agreement with you, and/or to take steps at your request prior to entering into our agreement with you.

8. a) Type(s) of personal information we process:

• Name
• Telephone number
• Email address
• Other contact details

8. b) Why we process this personal information:

To enable us to keep in touch with you after you have participated in the Program.

8. c) Our legal basis for processing this personal information:

To enable us to pursue our legitimate interests to:

• run an alumni programme;
• understand your experience of the Program; and
• improve and/or promote the Program.

9. a) Type(s) of personal information we process:

• Name
• Telephone number
• Email address
• Other contact details

9. b) Why we process this personal information:

To enable us, our Agents and/or Interviewers to send you information about the Program, and/or other opportunities or services of ours and other companies in our group which may be of interest to you.

9. c) Our legal basis for processing this personal information:

Your consent.

10. a) Type(s) of personal information we process:

• Religion

10. b) Why we process this personal information:

To enable Camp Directors to consider your suitability for their Camp, in each case provided that there is a genuine occupational requirement to do so and you have chosen to provide this information.

10. c) Our legal basis for processing this personal information:

Your consent.

11. a) Type(s) of personal information we process:

• Nationality

11. b) Why we process this personal information:

To verify your visa eligibility and/or comply with visa regulations.

11. c) Our legal basis for processing this personal information:

To allow us to perform our obligations under our agreement with you, and/or to comply with our legal and contractual obligations to third parties (including our insurers).

12. a) Type(s) of personal information we process:

• Certain medical and health details

12. b) Why we process this personal information:

To assess your fitness to work (including allergies, etc).

12. c) Our legal basis for processing this personal information:

• To assess your working capacity (including for visa purposes); and/or
• Substantial public interest (for insurance purposes).

13. a) Type(s) of personal information we process:

• Height and weight

13. b) Why we process this personal information:

To assess your fitness to work (including your ability to carry out physical activities, etc).

13. c) Our legal basis for processing this personal information:

To assess your working capacity.

14. a) Type(s) of personal information we process:

• Certain medical and health details

14. b) Why we process this personal information:

To enable us or your Camp (including the Camp Director) to provide information to the emergency services if an emergency arises.

14. c) Our legal basis for processing this personal information:

To protect your vital interests.

15. a) Type(s) of personal information we process:

• Details of your emergency contact(s)

15. b) Why we process this personal information:

To enable us or your Camp (including the Camp Director) to get in touch with your emergency contact(s) if an emergency arises.

15. c) Our legal basis for processing this personal information:

Your consent.

16. a) Type(s) of personal information we process:

• Details of any criminal convictions and a criminal record check

16. b) Why we process this personal information:

• To check your eligibility for the Program.
• To co-operate with law enforcement and/or border control authorities.
• To fulfil a legal obligation (including for insurance purposes).

16. c) Our legal basis for processing this personal information:

Substantial public interest.

17. a) Type(s) of personal information we process:

• Information we collect when you visit the Camp America Website

17. b) Why we process this personal information:

Please see "Why we process this personal information" in the table for Visitors below.

17. c) Our legal basis for processing this personal information:

Please see "Our legal basis for processing this personal information" in the table for Visitors below.

Visitors

1. a) Type(s) of personal information we process:

• Information we collect when you visit the Camp America Website

1. b) Why we process this personal information:

To conduct internal operations, including data analysis, testing, research, statistical purposes and troubleshooting.

To ensure that content on the Camp America Website is presented in the most effective manner for you and for your device.

To analyse traffic to the Camp America Website.

As part of our efforts to keep the Camp America Website secure and to prevent fraud.

17. c) Our legal basis for processing this personal information:

To enable us to pursue our legitimate interests to:

• understand how the Camp America Website is used;
• improve the Camp America Website;
• keep the Camp America Website secure; and
• prevent fraud.

More about the information we use and why

Where we have a legal basis to use your personal information without consent (as we have described above), this Policy fulfils our duty to process personal information transparently, and helps us to do so fairly and lawfully and in a manner that you would expect given the nature of our relationship with you, by giving you appropriate notice and explanation of the way in which your personal information will be used.

Where consent is required for our use of your personal information, we will ask you to positively opt-in by ticking the appropriate consent box or otherwise communicating your consent.

Where you provide us with personal information relating to other individuals (for example, if you are a Camp Counsellor and you give us your emergency contact’s details or your referees’ details), you must obtain the consent of those individuals before doing so.

If you have any questions or require any further information regarding our use of personal information please contact us. 

Sharing Your Information

We may share your personal information with your consent or as is necessary with selected third party service providers, and other companies within our group that support us in the performance of the activities set out in the tables above. See below for more details.

We require all our third party service providers and all other companies within our group to take appropriate security measures to protect your personal information in line with our policies. We do not allow our third party service providers to use your personal information for their own purposes and we only permit them to process your personal information for specified purposes in accordance with our instructions.

We may also need to share your personal information with a regulator or otherwise to comply with the law or to respond to valid legal process, including from law enforcement or other government agencies.

Why might you share my personal information with third parties?

We may share your personal information with third parties where it is necessary in order to consider you for the Program or to place you with a Camp, where required by law (as above), or where we have another legitimate interest in doing so that is not overridden by your interests and fundamental rights (for example, to protect Camp Counsellors, or to operate and maintain the security of our computer systems).

Who will you share my personal information with?

We will share - and, in some cases, you will provide - certain information about you as follows:

• we use Google to track your usage of the Camp America Website. We do so to improve our users’ experience of the Camp America Website

In addition, if you are a Camp Counsellor:

• we will share certain information about you (including your name, age, education and/or employment history, hobbies and interests) with Camp Directors to enable them to consider potential Camp Counsellors for their Camps;
• we will share certain information about your health with Camp Directors (a) during the application process, from your Camp America application form; (b) at the point your work placement is confirmed, from the form your doctor will complete on your behalf; and (c) from any further medical disclosures you make, if and when we receive further enquiries regarding your health from any Camp Director(s), to enable them to assess any medical and/or health issues which are relevant to your role as a Camp Counsellor;
• we may share information that we collect as part of your application with our Agents and/or Interviewers. We do so to enable our Agents and Interviewers to assist us in interviewing, and placing you with a Camp;
• we may share certain information (including your name, gender, date of birth and address) with third party suppliers such as IT service providers (including hosting providers such as Microsoft); travel and accommodation providers (including airlines and hotels); insurance providers; embassies; and border control agencies. We do so to facilitate your participation in the Program;
• we may share certain information (including your name, gender, date of birth and address) with embassies and government departments (including the Student Exchange Visitor Information Service (SEVIS) – US Department of State). We do so to progress your visa application and to comply with visa regulations for your participation in the Program;
• we may share certain information (including your name, gender, date of birth and details of any serious incident, e.g. a criminal or serious medical incident in which you may be involved) with the US Department of State if any such incident occurs during your participation in the Program. We do so in order to [comply with visa regulations for your participation in the Program];
• we may share or ask you to share certain information (including your name, age and address) with third parties carrying out background checks who will process that information as part of a criminal record check and share the results with us. We do this so that we can consider your eligibility for the Program; and
• we will ask you to share your financial and/or payment details with a third party payment processors, SecureTrading and DotPay, (although we ourselves will never access that information). We do so to collect any payments associated with your Program fees.

Retaining Your Information

We will only retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including to satisfy any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. To decide the appropriate retention period, we consider the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the information, the potential risk of harm from unauthorised use or disclosure of it, the purposes for which we process your information, and the applicable law.

In some circumstances we may anonymise your personal information so that it can no longer be associated with you, in which case we may use such information without further notice to you. Even if you request that we erase your information, we may still need to keep it (see YOUR RIGHTS) or may keep it in a form that does not identify you.

The following retention periods will apply, unless we inform you otherwise (or you request that we erase your information).

If you are a Camp Counsellor and you:

• register your interest in or apply to take part in the Program but do not take part in the Program, we may retain some of your personal information (including your name, email address and date of birth) for a period of three years following the date when you first complete your registration and/or application; or
• take part in the Program, we will process your personal information while you take part in the Program, and may retain some of your information for a period of seven years from the end of your Program, for example, to keep in touch with you and/or for legal reasons.

If you are a Visitor and you do not use the Camp America Website for one year, then we will erase your information. We may keep certain information for longer periods than those stated above if you have agreed to us using it, for example, for keeping in touch about our services or for our promotional purposes (such as part of a blog post on the Camp America Website).

Please contact our data protection officer if you would like further details on how long we retain your information (see HOW TO CONTACT AIFS).

Transferring Your Information Overseas

If you are a Camp Counsellor, we may transfer the information we collect from you to Camps, to AIFS US and other relevant third parties based in the U.S. (i.e. outside of the EEA). We do so as it is necessary for us and for Camps to consider you for the Program, and so that you can take part in the Program (i.e. necessary for the performance of our obligations under our agreement with you).

If you are a Visitor, we may transfer the information we collect from you to AIFS US and other relevant third parties based in the U.S. We do so because part of the Camp America Website is operated out of, and accessed in, the U.S. and it is necessary for us to understand how it is used, so that we can improve it.

In each case, we will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your personal information receives an adequate level of protection and is treated in a way consistent with EU laws on data protection.

Children's Information

We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under the age of 16 and you should not register your interest in or apply to take part in the Program if you are under the age of 16. If you become aware that your child or any child under your care has provided us with information without your consent please contact us.

Keeping Your Information Secure

All personal information that you provide to us is stored on secure servers. We have put in place (and require anyone we share your information with to put in place) appropriate measures to protect the security of your information.

In addition, we limit access to your information to those of our employees, agents, contractors and other third parties who have a business need to know.

You should be aware that the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we will do our best to protect your information, we cannot guarantee the security of the information transmitted to the Camp America Website or by email; any transmission is at your own risk. Once we have received your information, we will use strict procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorised access or inadvertent disclosure.

Updating and Accessing Your Information

You have the right under data protection laws to access personal information held about you, subject to certain conditions, and to request its rectification or deletion.

If you would like to access or amend the personal information which we hold about you, or if you would like us to stop using your personal information, please contact our data protection officer (see HOW TO CONTACT AIFS).

Alternatively, if you are a Camp Counsellor and you have completed an application to take part in the Program, you can access and amend most of your personal information by signing in to your account on the Camp America Website. However, once we have shared your personal information as described in SHARING YOUR INFORMATION above, you may be unable to amend that information by signing in to your account. If you would like to amend any of your personal information but you are unable to do so by signing in to your account on the Camp America Website, please contact us.

To learn more about the rights you may have in relation to your personal information see YOUR RIGHTS.

Your Rights

By law you have the right to:

• Request access to your personal information (commonly known as a “data subject access request”). This enables you to receive a copy of the personal information we hold about you and to check that we are lawfully processing it. We will need you to prove your identity before we release any personal information to you.
• Request correction or erasure of your personal information (unless we have the legal right to retain it). You also have the right to ask us to delete or remove your personal information where you have exercised your right to object to processing (see below).
• Object to processing of your personal information where we are relying on a legitimate interest and there is something about your particular situation which makes you want to object to processing on this ground. You also have the right to object where we are processing your personal information for direct marketing purposes.
• Request the restriction of processing of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to suspend the processing of personal information about you, for example if you want us to establish its accuracy or the reason for processing it.
• Request the transfer of personal information that you have provided to us to another party.
• Change your information processing preferences at any time (where this specifically relates to marketing messages, see MARKETING).

You should be aware that if you ask us to stop processing your personal information in a certain way or to erase your personal information, and this type of processing is necessary to consider you for the Program or in order for you to participate in the Program, then we may not be able to continue to provide our services to you and you may need to leave the Program. This does not include your right to object to direct marketing, which can be exercised at any time without restriction.

If you want to exercise any of the rights listed above, please contact our data protection officer (see HOW TO CONTACT AIFS).

No fee usually required to access your personal information

You will not normally have to pay a fee to access your personal information (or to exercise any of the other rights). However, we may charge a reasonable fee if your request for access is clearly unfounded or excessive. Alternatively, we may refuse to comply with the request in such circumstances.

What we may need from you

We may need to request specific information from you to confirm your identity and verify your right to access the information (or to exercise any of your other rights). This is another appropriate security measure to ensure that personal information is not disclosed to any person who has no right to receive it.

Right to withdraw consent

Where you have consented to the collection, use or transfer of your personal information for a specific purpose, you have the right to withdraw your consent for that specific processing at any time. To withdraw your consent, please contact our data protection officer (see HOW TO CONTACT AIFS). Once we have received notification that you have withdrawn your consent, we will no longer process your information for the purpose or purposes you originally agreed to, unless we have another legitimate basis for doing so in law.

Marketing

If you are a Camp Counsellor, we would like to send you information by email, SMS and/or via social media about opportunities or services of ours and other companies in our group which may be of interest to you (including, for example promotional materials and newsletters). We will ask whether you would like us to send you these messages when you request a brochure / information or apply to take part in the Program.

You have the right at any time to stop us from contacting you for marketing purposes. If you no longer wish to be contacted for marketing purposes, you can unsubscribe by using the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of our marketing messages or by contacting us.

We will not provide your personal information to any businesses outside our group for marketing purposes.

Other Websites

The Camp America Website contains links to other websites, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. This Policy only applies to the Camp America Website so when you link to other websites you should read their own privacy policies.

Changes to This Policy

We keep this Policy under regular review and will post any updates on this webpage. This Policy was last updated in August 2019.

How to Contact AIFS

In the UK, AIFS UK is the data controller in respect of your personal information and is registered with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office with registration number Z6393161. AIFS UK’s address is 37 Queen’s Gate, London, SW7 5HR.

In Australia please contact Wendi Aylward at info@aifs.com.au or +61282357000. AIFS Australia’s address is 10-14 Oxford Square, Darlinghurst NSW 2010.

If for any reason you are not happy with the way that we have handled your personal information please contact us using the contact information provided above.