Data Protection for Local Groups Protocol

This resource contains information which may be useful for performing care or advocacy work, or describes overall policy and principles.

This protocol is part of a system of protocols. These describe a system for doing dispatch from ingest to instructing volunteers and safeguarding, for doing dispatch safely and transparently for all involved. These are the Covid dispatch protocols part of the larger Covid protocols effort from QueerCare.

This page is specific to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our covid protocol still focuses on somewhat older science relating to droplet transmission. We are currently reviewing this. It will be updated rapidly.

• All personally identifying information must not be publicly viewable to all members of a local group.
  • To ensure this, you should use a system where you can add data to a collection without viewing all the data in that collection (typically, by using a form).
• A group should consist of:

  dispatchers

  two to three people with access to the full collection of data

  people doing support work

  up to 100 people who may be able to provide support

  people needing support

  up to 20 people asking for help

  • If a dispatch group exceeds these numbers, it should be split into two or more smaller groups. This reduces the risk of a large data breach.
  • Dispatch groups do not need to be the same as organising groups. A Facebook group, Slack workspace or equivalent may contain many dispatch groups.
  • Dispatch groups can be split based on geography or on other lines. For example, queer people may prefer to organise separately, or elderly or disabled people may wish to have autonomous support.
    • Dispatch groups can refer requests and offers of support to other dispatch groups, if that group is more appropriate.
• Data must be held in a format agreed by the people submitting it. Google Forms is an option, but only if everyone adding their data has agreed to it.
• Dispatchers should check each others' work.
  • Use a system where all messages sent to people needing or doing care can be read by other dispatchers.
  • To make sure dispatchers can check each others' work impartially, dispatchers should not all be pulled from the same friendship group.
• Dispatchers should rotate out, one at a time, at a regular interval (a week to a month).
  • This is intended to...
    • prevent burnout
    • teach new people dispatch skills
    • prevent people becoming stuck in their roles and building fiefdoms.