Confidentiality Statement

Confidentiality Statement

SMART Recovery Ireland is built on trust, respect, and privacy. As a volunteer, you may hear or handle personal information about participants, facilitators, volunteers, applicants, or partner organisations. This statement explains what we expect from you when that happens.

What you must keep confidential

• Do not share a person’s name, contact details, attendance, recovery journey, personal circumstances, or anything they have said in a meeting or private conversation.
• Do not identify someone as a SMART Recovery participant, volunteer, or facilitator unless they have clearly chosen to identify themselves.
• Do not discuss individual people or situations on social media, in messaging groups, with friends or family, or with other volunteers who do not need the information.
• Do not take photographs, screenshots, recordings, or copies of meeting or volunteer information unless SMART Recovery Ireland has specifically authorised this.

How to handle information

• Use personal information only for the purpose it was provided, such as arranging a volunteer activity or supporting the safe running of a meeting.
• Use the communication channels and systems provided or approved by SMART Recovery Ireland. Do not store volunteer or participant information on shared, public, or personal systems unless authorised.
• Check recipients carefully before sending messages, copy only people who need the information, and report a lost device, mistaken disclosure, or other data incident promptly.
• Keep professional boundaries. Do not use information gained through volunteering to contact people for personal, commercial, or unrelated reasons.

When confidentiality has limits

Confidentiality is important, but it is not an absolute promise. Information may need to be shared with the appropriate SMART Recovery contact, professional adviser, emergency service, or authority where this is necessary to respond to a serious risk of harm, a safeguarding or welfare concern, a complaint, a suspected crime, or a legal requirement.

If someone tells you something that concerns you, do not promise to keep it secret and do not investigate it yourself. Listen calmly, write down the relevant facts, and contact the volunteer coordinator or designated safeguarding contact as soon as possible. If there is an immediate risk of serious harm, contact the emergency services.

Your responsibility

You must follow this statement, the Meeting Guidelines, SMART Recovery Ireland’s volunteer guidance, and any instructions given by the volunteer coordinator. Ask before sharing information if you are unsure. A breach of confidentiality may result in the volunteer role being paused or ended.

By submitting the volunteer interest form, you confirm that you have read this statement and agree to respect the privacy, dignity, and boundaries of the people connected with SMART Recovery Ireland.