Information Technology Policy

 

All Southdene  Community Centre’s IT facilities and information resources remain the property of Southdene  Community Association. By following this policy we'll help ensure IT facilities are used:- 

•         Legally

•         Securely

•         Without undermining Southdene Community Centre and Southdene  Community Association.

•         Effectively 

•         In a spirit co-operation, trust and consideration for others. 

 

 The policy relates to all Information Technology facilities and services provided by Southdene Community Centre and Southdene  Community Association. All staff, volunteers and Community Centre users are expected to adhere to it.
 
Procedures:

Precautionary and Disciplinary Measures
Deliberate and serious breach of the policy statements in this section will lead to the offending person or group being denied access to the Information Technology facilities in the future. If the person in breach of this policy is a member of staff, a member or volunteer of Southdene Community Association, they will be subject to disciplinary procedures. 


Copyright:
Users are asked to use software legally in accordance with relevant licensing and copyright agreements. Copying software for use outside these agreements is illegal and may result in criminal charges.


Security:
Users are asked not to attempt to gain unauthorised access to information or facilities at the Community Centre. The Computer Misuse Act 1990 makes it a criminal offence to obtain unauthorised access to any computer (including workstations and PCs) or to modify its contents. If you require access to the Information Technology at the Community Centre, please contact our Booking Secretary.

Users are asked not to disclose personal system passwords or other security details to other staff, volunteers, other Centre users or external agents. Users are also asked not to use anyone else's login as this compromises the security of Southdene  Community Centre’s Information Technology systems. Passwords should be changed if it is suspected that another person is using it. If a user leaves their PC unattended without logging off, the user is responsible for any misuse of it while whilst they are away.

ALWAYS check disks for viruses, even if you think they are clean. Computer viruses are capable of destroying Southdene  Community Centre’s information resources. 


Information about people: 
If you're recording or obtaining information about individuals make sure you are not breaking Data Protection legislation.


Obscenities/Pornography:
Don't write it, publish it, look for it, bookmark it, access it or download it.


Confidentiality:
Any viewable website, chat room or networking site is considered a public place and as such is covered by the Confidentiality Policy

Staff, volunteers and users are reminded that anyone who posts material critical of anyone connected with the setting on such sites, critical of Southdene  Community Centre’s and Southdene  Community Association’s activities and/or procedures, or by any means brings Southdene  Community Centre and Southdene  Community Association into disrepute will be in breach of the confidentiality statement, and will be committing an offence which may result in disciplinary action and/or criminal prosecution.


Electronic monitoring:                             
Any information available within IT facilities must not be used to monitor the activity of individuals or groups in any way (e.g. to monitor their working activity, working time, files accessed, internet sites accessed, reading of their email or private files etc.) without their prior knowledge. 

Exceptions are:

In the case of a specific allegation of misconduct, then Southdene  Community Association can authorise the accessing of such information when investigating the allegation.

When the accessing of such information whilst fixing a problem cannot be avoided.

In such instances, the person concerned will be informed immediately and information will not be disclosed wider than is absolutely necessary. In the former case their access to IT facilities may be disabled pending investigation.


Email Policy:
Users are asked only to send emails to those they are meant for; please do not “broadcast” (i.e. send to large groups of people using email aliases) unless absolutely necessary. Please respect peoples’ privacy when sending group emails; some recipients may not want their email addresses being shown in group emails. If in doubt “BCC” (Blind Carbon Copy) recipients so that email addresses are not visable to other recipients of the email.

Users are asked to be courteous when writing an email. Please do not send emails that may be taken as impolite or offensive by the recipient.

Do not open an email unless you have a reasonably good expectation of what it contains. Do not open emails or attachments from unsolicited sources.


Miscellaneous:
Hardware and Software: 
All purchases should be approved by Southdene Community Association.

Installing Software: 
Users are required to gain permission from Southdene  Community Association before installing any software (including public domain software or Freeware: This is software that is available free of charge, usually by downloading from the internet) on equipment owned and/or operated by Southdene  Community Centre and Southdene  Community Association.

Use of facilities for leisure or personal purposes (e.g. sending and receiving personal email, playing computer games and browsing the Internet) is permitted so long as such use does not:

Go outside the booked use of the IT equipment, without first discussing your expectation to do so with the Booking Secretary. 

Incur specific expenditure for Southdene Community Association.

Impact on your performance of your job (this is a matter between each member of staff and Southdene  Community Association)

Bring Southdene  Community Centre and/or Southdene  Community Association into disrepute.

Break the law.

Hirers of the ICT suite are requested to develop their own procedures relating to any personal/leisure use of the ICT facilities within their group. If personal use is permitted, please include the above points in your procedures.


Ownership of hardware:
All equipment purchased and owned by Southdene  Community Association, including equipment kept and used off the premises of Southdene  Community Centre, will remain the property of Southdene  Community Association and must be returned as soon as the user ceases employment, resigns from Southdene  Community Association or ceases to be a regular user of the Community Centre.  This includes laptops and all removable storage media (memory sticks, portable hard drives etc) where applicable.

All information belonging to and regarding Southdene Community Centre and Southdene Community Association should be stored on a form of removable storage media for security and back-up purposes.
 
 
Care of equipment:
Users are asked not to re-arrange how equipment is plugged in (computers, power supplies, network cabling, routers etc.) without first contacting Southdene Community Association.

Users are asked not be bring food or drink into close proximity with IT equipment.


Children’s Use of IT Equipment:
Children must not use the internet or play games without adult supervision.

It is the responsibility of each user group that has children as members to design an Internet and Computer Safety Agreement that is appropriate to their group’s needs and uses of ICT equipment. The agreements must be signed by the child, if appropriate, and their parent/carer.

All groups/users involving children should promote the safe use of IT equipment and the internet. The children should know to report any abuse, bullying or suspicious behaviour they encounter whilst on-line immediately to their group leader.

Booking of IT Facilities

 All bookings must be made through reception . The user must stipulate that they wish to use the IT facilities  and indicate a start and end time to their session at time of booking. 



All people wishing to book the IT suite MUST provide a postal AND email address and a telephone number.

Existing user groups of the Centre may book IT facilities.



All users are asked to vacate the ICT suite promptly at their stipulated end time. Failure to do so will result in charges for the extra time being made.


Housekeeping, Breakages, Faults and Theft 
We expect the room to be left in the condition it was found. Failure to do this will result in extra charges being made and/or exclusion from using the ICT facilities.All PCs, monitors and printers are to be switched off at end of the booked session and the room secured when leaving.

No food and drink in the ICT suite. Please use the kitchen facilities adjacent to the room.

All equipment is checked after bookings. Any damage or breakages detected will result in the user being invoiced for replacements.

If is it apparent that a theft has occurred during a booking, Southdene  Community Association will contact the Police and the details of person who made the booking will be passed to the Police to help with enquiries.

If damage or faults with equipment are detected/occur during your booking,please contact a member of Southdene  Community Association to report them.
 

Printing Costs. 
There are Honesty Boxes within the ICT suite, we ask you to make a suggested minimum donation of 5 pence per sheet printed. Due to this system, no change or credit can be given to users of the ICT suite. The Honesty Boxes will be monitored regularly. If it appears that the donations are not sufficient to cover costs of paper and ink, SCA reserve the right to include a printing levy within charges of ICT suite use.


Cancellation of Bookings
The booking of the ICT suite is subject to normal booking cancellation procedures (see Policy 6 “General Housekeeping and Booking Policy” for full details)

If a user wishes to cancel a booking at the centre, we request that at least 48 hours notice is given before the commencement of booking. Cancellations can be made by contacting our Booking Secretary. Failure to give 48 hours notice will result in the user being charged for the booking in full. 

The 50% deposit paid at time of booking will be retained by Southdene  Community Association in the event of any cancellation. This will be carried over if the booking is rescheduled.

The 48 hour notice period of cancellation also applies to existing centre groups wishing to use the ICT facilities

If a regular user wishes to cease using the ICT suite completely, we ask that a notice period of 4 weeks is given.

Southdene  Community Association reserves the right to refuse, cancel or amend any booking giving one month’s written notice.