How Your Data Is Used

When you fill in a form on our website

When you complete an assessment form, book a consultation or send us a message, the information you share is sent securely to our team. It is encrypted in transit, which means it cannot be read by anyone intercepting the connection. It is stored in a secure, encrypted database that only authorised Hackit Design staff can access.

We use what you share to respond to your enquiry, carry out your assessment or arrange your consultation. Nothing else.

When you submit an assessment form, a record is created in our system and an email notification is sent to our team at info@hackitdesign.com so we can review your details and follow up within two working days. If you submit as a guest, we will also create an account for you so you can log in and track your assessment status.

Enquiry management

When you submit an enquiry through our Assessment or Contact forms, your name, email address and message are sent securely to our enquiry management system. This data is processed on our behalf by trusted providers who operate under signed Data Processing Agreements in compliance with UK GDPR. Data is transferred securely using encryption in transit and at rest, with safeguards including UK Standard Contractual Clauses and the UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. No health or disability details are sent to this system unless you include them in your message.

When you share health or disability information

We understand this is sensitive. Information about your health, disability, access needs or living situation is treated with the highest level of care. It is:

• Stored separately from general contact data
• Accessible only to the team member working directly with you
• Never shared with third parties without your explicit consent
• Never processed by AI systems or used for automated decision-making

When you join as a mentor or partner

If you join the Hackit Design Hub as a mentor, volunteer professional or Support Our Work partner, you will create an account and provide profile information. This includes your name, email, phone, organisation, qualifications, insurance details and areas of expertise.

We use this information to

• Verify your credentials and safeguarding status before approval
• Display your profile in our vetted professional directory, only after you are approved
• Match you with clients and opportunities
• Generate contracts and letters when you work with partners
• Communicate with you about opportunities, updates and feedback

Your profile is private until you are approved. Once approved, your profile is visible to clients and organisations using the Hackit Design Hub, but your phone number and email address are only shared with those who contact you through the platform.

Partner portal and document access

If you are a Support Our Work partner, you have access to a secure partner portal where you can

• View messages from the Hackit Design team
• Access contracts and letters generated for your partnership
• View documents marked as partner visible
• Manage your profile and communication preferences

Only you and authorised Hackit Design team members can access your portal. Your data in the portal is encrypted and stored securely. We do not share your portal data with third parties.

Automated emails and task management

We send automated emails to keep you informed. These include task reminders, document notifications and account updates. All automated emails are sent securely and contain only information relevant to that message.

When we create a task from a message in your portal, that task is stored in our internal system and may include sensitive information from your message. These internal tasks are only visible to authorised Hackit Design team members and are never shared with you unless we ask for your input.

If you do not wish to receive automated emails, you can disable email reminders in your account settings. However, we will always send critical communications about your account, documents and safeguarding concerns.

Letters and CC recipients

When we send you a letter via email, Angela Stewart, CEO, at angie@hackitdesign.com is copied on that email for oversight and compliance purposes. This ensures all partner communications are reviewed and tracked. The letter template will always note that Angela is CC'd.

If you have concerns about this, please contact us at info@hackitdesign.com or call 0800 865 4422.

AI and your data , what we do and do not do

If your workflow uses our AI features, your name, email address and message may be processed by trusted AI providers to help us categorise and prioritise your enquiry. This happens securely under signed Data Processing Agreements.

What is never sent to any AI system:

• Your health or disability information
• Your home address
• Safeguarding disclosures
• Payment details

Your data is never used to train AI models. If you prefer your enquiry not to be processed by AI at all, you can contact us directly at info@hackitdesign.com or call 0800 865 4422.

Payments

Payments are processed securely through Stripe, a trusted and GDPR-compliant payment provider. We never see or store your full card details. Stripe handles all card data under their own strict security standards. You can read Stripe's privacy policy at stripe.com/gb/privacy.

Who sees your data

Only the Hackit Design team members who need it to help you. We do not sell your data. We do not share it with advertisers. We do not pass it to third parties for their own marketing purposes.

If we ever need to share your information , for example, to connect you with a vetted professional on our network , we will tell you first and ask for your consent.

Safeguarding

If you share a safeguarding concern with us, that information goes directly and only to our Safeguarding Lead, Sheba Boakye-Duah. It is handled in strict confidence and in line with our Safeguarding Policy. It is never processed by automated systems.

Safeguarding Lead: sheba@hackitdesign.com | 07711 588698

How long we keep your data

We keep your data for as long as necessary to deliver your service and meet our legal obligations. Assessment and consultation records are kept for three years. You can ask us to delete your data at any time by contacting info@hackitdesign.com.

Your rights

You have the right to:

• See the data we hold about you
• Correct anything that is wrong
• Ask us to delete your data
• Object to how we use it
• Withdraw consent at any time

To exercise any of these rights, email info@hackitdesign.com or call 0800 865 4422. We will respond within 30 days.