Politique de Confidentialité

1. Introduction

EDUCARE - FTC HAITI ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting personal data processed through our website https://educare-ftc.org and related services (the "Platform"). This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, how we use and share it, and what choices are available to you.

EDUCARE HAITI is a non-profit organization supporting youth robotics and STEM through FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) activities in Haiti. Because many users are minors, we apply additional safeguards described below.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Account and Profile Data

• Name, username, email, and password credentials
• Optional profile data such as phone number, school affiliation, bio, and avatar
• Date of birth for eligibility, age checks, and youth-protection controls

2.2 School, Team, and Participant Data

• School profile and contact data (name, location, institutional contacts)
• Team records (team type, team number, season, coach association, status)
• Participant records (team role, grade, jersey number, t-shirt size, active status)

2.3 Submitted Documents and Files

• Participant documents such as birth certificate, parental consent form, ID/passport, medical form, and photos
• Team documents such as engineering notebooks, plans, and presentations
• Volunteer resumes and supporting public submission files
• Document acknowledgment records (who acknowledged, and when)

2.4 Public Program Intake Data

• Volunteer applications (full name, email, role preferences, availability, message, resume)
• School interest submissions (school/contact details and motivation statement)
• Media accreditation submissions (full name, media outlet, phone, email, season)

2.5 Operational and Security Data

• Notification and communication records, including email-center send logs
• Single-use invite code and invite-link lifecycle data (creation, use, expiry)
• Username-recovery verification data (one-time code flow and attempt controls)
• Technical metadata such as IP address, browser type, device information, and access logs

3. How and Why We Use Data

We process personal data to operate and protect the FTC Haiti program, including:

• Program administration: registration, eligibility, team management, and season operations
• Role-based access: providing appropriate access for admins, judges, coaches, team members, and authorized users
• Communication: service messages, notices, reminders, and support follow-up
• Safety and youth protection: age checks, parental consent handling, and safeguarding workflows
• Document governance: controlled sharing, acknowledgment tracking, and auditability
• Platform integrity: fraud prevention, abuse detection, and account security
• Legal and program obligations: required recordkeeping and compliance with applicable obligations

4. Legal and Policy Bases for Processing

Depending on context, we process data based on one or more of the following principles:

• Consent: where consent is collected (for example, certain minor/media contexts)
• Program necessity: to deliver requested program services and account functions
• Legitimate interests: to run, improve, and secure educational competition operations responsibly
• Legal and safety duties: to meet applicable legal, reporting, and safeguarding obligations

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We may share data only when needed for program operations, including with:

• FTC/FIRST program stakeholders: where required for official participation and reporting
• Schools, coaches, and authorized program staff: for participant and team coordination
• Service providers: trusted providers supporting hosting, infrastructure, storage, and email delivery
• Event and safeguarding partners: when necessary for event logistics and participant protection
• Authorities or legal processes: where disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect rights and safety

We do not sell personal data and do not trade personal data for third-party marketing.

6. Protection of Minors

We apply heightened protections for participants under 18 years old. This includes parental or guardian consent requirements, data minimization for youth records, and controls around publication of minor-related media.

• Parents/guardians may request review or correction of a minor's data
• Parents/guardians may request media opt-out for a minor when applicable
• We follow youth-protection and safeguarding practices aligned with program needs

7. Data Security

We use technical and organizational controls designed to reduce risk, including:

• Role-based access controls and permission-scoped administrative features
• Single-use invitation mechanisms and expiry checks for controlled onboarding
• Secure transport practices and standard account credential protections
• Operational logging, monitoring, and restricted staff access for sensitive workflows

No internet system is fully risk-free. We continuously improve safeguards but cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as needed for program delivery, safeguarding, dispute handling, legal obligations, and legitimate operational records. Retention periods may vary by data category and role. When data is no longer needed, we delete or de-identify it where reasonably possible.

9. Your Rights and Choices

Subject to applicable law and practical limitations, you may request:

• Access: confirmation of whether we process your data and access to relevant records
• Correction: correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: deletion of data where retention is no longer required
• Restriction or objection: limits on certain processing where justified
• Consent withdrawal: withdrawal of consent for consent-based processing
• Portability support: a usable copy of your information where feasible

To submit a request, contact us using the details in Section 13. We may verify identity before completing certain requests.

10. Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies for essential platform operation, security, and performance analysis. You may control cookies in your browser settings, but some features may not function correctly if cookies are disabled.

11. Third-Party Services and Links

The Platform may include links to third-party services or sites. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies. We encourage you to review those policies before sharing personal data externally.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may revise this Privacy Policy to reflect operational, legal, or program changes. We will post updates on this page and update the "Last Updated" date. Material changes may also be communicated by email or in-platform notice where appropriate.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or data-rights requests, contact us:

14. Governing Law

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of Haiti. For international participants, we apply privacy principles inspired by recognized international standards, including transparency, fairness, data minimization, and user rights where applicable.