Privacy, Safety & Policies

About

The Health Hive is funded via a Medical Research Futures Fund Consumer-Led Grant (#2023165), National Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship (#106646) and Sydney Horizon Fellowship. The project is led by a research team based at The University of Sydney. The Health Hive, part of the Youth Well Lab at the University of Sydney, is a free online platform designed to help young people (aged 14–24) build the knowledge, skills, and confidence to take an active role in public health research and advocacy.

Our Commitment to Child Safety

The Health Hive, part of the Youth Well Lab at the University of Sydney, is committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for all young people < 18 years involved in our programs and collaborations.

Everyone working with the Health Hive, including staff, researchers, students, contractors, and volunteers, shares responsibility for promoting the safety and well-being of children and young people. Safety, integrity, and accountability are core values that guide everything we do.

We are committed to ensuring that all interactions with young people take place in safe, respectful, and empowering environments. Our team members are required to:

Hold a valid Working With Children Check (WWCC)
Adhere to the University of Sydney’s Child Safety guidelines

Our Child Safe guidelines outline how we protect young people and reduce risks of harm. It helps our team recognise, prevent, and respond appropriately to any concerns about safety and well-being.

We believe the safety and welfare of all young people is everyone’s responsibility. We expect all Health Hive staff, students, and collaborators to model safe, inclusive, and ethical behaviour in every setting — online and in person.

To learn more about our approach to child safety, please get in touch with Associate Professor Stephanie Partridge, stephanie.partridge@sydney.edu.au, Child Safety Lead for the Health Hive, University of Sydney.

Website Terms of Use

1. Ownership

The Health Hive and the University of Sydney operate this website (the Website). Unless otherwise stated, the Health Hive and the University of Sydney own (or are licensed to use) all rights, including copyright, in all content, documents, and materials on this Website.

You are permitted to download, store, and use the content from this Website for personal, educational, or other non-commercial purposes only, provided that you:

Acknowledge that the content is reproduced with permission from the Health Hive and the University of Sydney;
Do not alter or modify the material in any way;
Do not present the content as your own or imply any endorsement; and
Do not distribute or publish the material without written permission.

Nothing in these Terms constitutes a transfer of intellectual property rights. You acknowledge that all intellectual property in the Website remains the property of the Health Hive and the University of Sydney. Any unauthorised reproduction or use of Website content is strictly prohibited and may result in legal action.

2. Disclaimer

The content on this Website is provided as general information only. It is not intended to replace professional advice, including medical, health, legal or professional advice, and should not be relied upon as such.

While we aim to keep information accurate and up to date, we make no representations or warranties about the completeness, reliability, or accuracy of the information. Your use of this Website is entirely at your own risk.

3. Security and Privacy

The Health Hive website is hosted on the Wix platform. Please be aware that while reasonable security measures are in place, the transmission of information over the internet is not completely secure or error-free.

We take precautions to protect any personal information collected through the Website. However, the Health Hive and the University of Sydney cannot guarantee the absolute security of data transmitted online.

For more information about how your personal information is handled, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

4. Cookies and Tracking

This website uses cookies and similar technologies to help improve your experience, understand how our site is used, and ensure it functions properly. Cookies are small files stored on your device that help remember preferences and provide anonymous usage data.

By continuing to browse this site, you consent to the use of cookies in line with these terms. You can choose to disable cookies in your browser settings, but some parts of the website may not work as intended.

We aim to keep this process transparent and respectful of your privacy, especially for our young visitors. To learn more about how information is handled, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

5. Links to Other Websites

The Health Hive Website may contain links to external websites. These links are provided for convenience and informational purposes only. The Health Hive and the University of Sydney do not control and are not responsible for the content, security, or privacy practices of external sites.

6. Changes to These Terms

The Health Hive may update or revise these Terms from time to time. Continued use of the Website after changes are posted indicates your acceptance of those updates.

7. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms, cookies, or how information is managed on the Health Hive Website, please contact: health.hive@sydney.edu.au

Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how the Health Hive at the University of Sydney collects, uses, and protects your personal information. We are committed to safeguarding the privacy and well-being of all young people who engage with our website, mailing list, and online course.

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically by publishing changes on our website.

2. What Information We Collect

We collect limited personal information in three ways:

(a) When you join our mailing list (Wix platform via MailChimp)

First name and last name
Email address

(b) When you register for the Health Hive online course (Open edX platform hosted by Aulasneo)

Full name and email address (for account setup)
Year of birth, gender identity, and country of residence (demographic questions)

Anonymous feedback on your learning experience, skills and confidence
Optional open-text responses

We do not collect or store any sensitive information (e.g., health status, ethnicity) beyond the demographic questions listed above.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information you provide to:

Deliver and administer the Health Hive course;
Communicate with you about updates, certificates, and opportunities (if you opt in);
Evaluate and improve the course and user experience; and
Conduct research and reporting using de-identified data only.

Your information is never sold or shared with third parties for marketing or commercial purposes.

4. Research Use of De-identified Data

Some course information may be used in research to evaluate how the Health Hive supports young people’s (14-24 years) learning and engagement in public health research and advocacy, and may be used to produce aggregated reports or academic publications.

All research data is de-identified, meaning we cannot connect your responses to any personally identifying information.

We agree that we will not attempt to re-identify those with whom the information or data is associated; take all reasonable steps to prevent re-identification of the information or data for unauthorised purposes or access to the information or data by those who are not authorised; and that any sharing of any research data during or after the project will not create any additional risks of re-identification of the information or data.

De-identified datasets are stored securely on the University of Sydney’s Research Data Store in NSW, Australia.

5. Storage and Security

Website and mailing list data are securely stored within the Wix platform.
Course data are stored and processed within the Open edX system hosted by Aulasneo, an AWS Partner compliant with the AWS Well-Architected Framework (Security, Reliability, and Operational Excellence).
Only authorised Health Hive project staff can access personal data needed to manage accounts or communications (all comply with our Child Safety Policy).
All data transfers and storage comply with the University of Sydney’s cybersecurity and data-classification standards.

6. Your Choices and Rights

You may unsubscribe from the mailing list at any time by clicking Unsubscribe in any email or by contacting health.hive@sydney.edu.au with “UNSUBSCRIBE” in the subject line.
You may request access to, or correction of, your personal information held by us.
You may choose to remain anonymous or use a pseudonym when interacting with us, except where identification is necessary (for example, to issue a course certificate).

7. Cookies and Website Analytics

The Health Hive website uses cookies and similar technologies to improve functionality and understand site usage. Cookies help remember preferences and provide anonymous usage statistics. You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but some features may not function properly.

8. Third-party Services

We use reputable third-party providers to support our services:

Wix .com – for website hosting and mailing-list management;
Aulasneo LLC – for hosting the Health Hive course on the Open edX platform.

These providers may store information on secure servers located outside Australia (e.g., in the United States). All providers are contractually required to protect data in accordance with applicable privacy and security standards.

9. Contact Us

For questions, corrections, or concerns about your personal information, please contact: health.hive@sydney.edu.au