Privacy Policy

We [Brainwave Australia] only collect personal information from our supporters that is necessary for our work and helps us engage with you. We use your information to manage your support, process your donation and to respond to your comments and questions. We may also use your information for research purposes, and to keep you up to date with our initiatives that we think may interest you.

The main way we collect personal information about you is when you give it to us, for example, asking you to complete a donation form. We may also collect personal information from other sources, for example by obtaining details for potential future supporters from like-minded organisations or other third party suppliers.

At all times it is your choice on how much information you would like to provide in your support of Brainwave Australia, and you can change or access these details at any time. Please be aware, if you do not provide all the information requested, we may not be able to manage your support, process your donation or respond to your queries.

Below are some examples of information that we may collect and hold:

• Personal details, like name and date of birth
• Address and contact details
• Payment information for donations
• Information about any previous interactions you may have had with Brainwave Australia

SMS and Mobile Messaging Communications

When you opt in to receive SMS messages from Brainwave Australia or Ride for the Kids, we may send you marketing or informational text messages related to your participation, fundraising activities, donation updates, or event information.

By providing your mobile number and opting in, you consent to receive recurring automated text messages (including via an automatic telephone dialing system) to the number you provided. Message frequency may vary, and standard message and data rates may apply. Your consent to receive SMS messages is not a condition of purchase or participation.

You may opt out of SMS communications at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions provided in the message (for example, replying “STOP”) or by contacting us at admin@brainwave.org.au. After opting out, you will receive one final confirmation message to confirm your unsubscribe request. If you wish to rejoin later, you can opt in again through our registration or communication channels.

If you have questions about our SMS communications or need assistance, you may email admin@brainwave.org.au or reply “HELP” to any message for instructions.

Please ensure that you notify us before changing or transferring your mobile number, so we can update our records and avoid sending messages to the new holder of that number.

How we hold and use supporter information

Brainwave Australia takes the security and confidentiality of your personal details very seriously. We actively seek to ensure that all personal information we collect is protected from misuse, interference and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. This is done through internal data protection and electronic data transmission procedures, and all donations and communications made online via our website are secure.

Personal information is sometimes supplied to, or collected by, contractors who perform tasks on our behalf (for example IT services, research agencies and mailing houses that send our letters).

We may also engage third-party service providers to deliver SMS or mobile messaging on our behalf. These providers are bound by privacy and data protection obligations consistent with Australian privacy laws and our internal policies.

In limited circumstances we may need to disclose information to contractors based in a country other than Australia in order to process the data that we collect. We have put in place controls to ensure the security of our data whether it be stored domestically or internationally.

Where personal information is held that is no longer needed, we will take reasonable steps to ensure the information is destroyed or de-identified.

As part of the Ride for the Kids fundraising challenge, participants may choose to connect their Garmin account to their Ride for the Kids fundraising profile.

When you connect Garmin, we receive basic activity data (such as distance, duration, and type of activity) through the Garmin Connect API. This information is used only to:

• Display your fitness progress on your Ride for the Kids fundraising page.
• Share your achievements with donors, team members, and event supporters.
• Motivate fundraising by showing real-time progress toward your goals.

We do not collect or display health data (such as heart rate, sleep, or women’s health information). We do not sell, rent, or share Garmin activity data with any third parties.

Activity data is associated only with your identifiable fundraising profile and is not anonymised. You may disconnect Garmin at any time through your Ride for the Kids account settings or within Garmin Connect. Once disconnected, no new activity data will be shared.

If you have questions about how Garmin processes your personal data, please refer to the Garmin Connect Privacy Policy at https://www.garmin.com/privacy

Fitness Tracking and Strava Data 

When you connect your Strava account to Ride for the Kids, we access certain activity information through the Strava API. This may include activity details such as distance, duration, elevation, and related metrics.

We use this data only to:

• Display your rides and progress on your fundraising profile and leaderboards.
• Track your distance goals during the Ride for the Kids event.

We do not share or sell your Strava data with any third parties. You can revoke our access to your Strava account at any time from your Strava settings under My Apps. If you do so, no further data will be pulled into your fundraising profile.

If you would like to request the deletion of your Strava data from our systems, please contact us at events@brainwave.org.au . Deletion requests will be actioned within 30 days. This use of Strava data complies with Strava’s API Agreement and Privacy Policy.

We will always endeavour to ensure that the information collected is accurate. You can update or correct the information we have collected or let us know of your preferences for how we communicate with you by calling 1300 766 819 or email admin@brainwave.org.au

If you have a query or complaint about how we manage your personal information or would like to know more, please call us on 1300 766 819 or email admin@brainwave.org.au.

If you have made a complaint, Brainwave Australia will acknowledge that your complaint has been received, provide you with the contact details of the appropriate person and give you an estimate of when they can provide a response to your complaint.