WeCircle (“we”, “us”, “our”) operates wecircle.ca, a website for our women’s community circles in Surrey, British Columbia and online. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect through the website, why we collect it, how we use it, and the choices you have.
Who we are
WeCircle is a community organization based in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. You can reach us at [email protected].
Information we collect
We only collect information that is relevant to running our website and responding to community interest. Depending on how you use the site, this may include:
When you register to join WeCircle
If you submit the form at Join a Circle, we collect:
- Identity & contact: first name, last name, email address, and optionally phone number, city, and country
- Circle preferences: which circles you want to join (in-person walk, online circle, Speak with Confidence, or all)
- Involvement interests: optional selections such as attending, volunteering, facilitating, or partnering
- Your story: why you want to join, and optionally your area of expertise
- How you found us: optional answer from our dropdown (e.g. social media, friend, event)
- Consent: confirmation that you agree to receive updates from WeCircle
- Technical data: IP address and browser user-agent string, recorded with your submission for security and spam prevention
This information is stored in our website database and is visible to authorized WeCircle administrators.
When you contact us
If you use the Contact form, we collect:
- Name (optional), email address, subject (optional), and your message
- IP address and browser user-agent string with your submission
When you browse the website
- Essential cookies & session data: we use cookies and server-side sessions so the website works securely (for example, CSRF protection on forms). If an administrator logs in, a session cookie maintains that login.
- Cookie preference: your choice (“Accept all” or “Essential only”) is saved in your browser’s local storage under the key
wecircle_cookie_consent. - Google Analytics (with consent only): if you click “Accept all” on our cookie banner, we load Google Analytics 4 to understand how visitors use the site (e.g. pages viewed, general traffic patterns). We enable IP anonymization in Analytics. Google may set its own cookies. See our Cookie Policy.
- Google reCAPTCHA v3: on the Join and Contact forms, reCAPTCHA helps us detect automated spam. Google may process technical data (such as device and interaction signals) when you submit those forms. This loads on those pages regardless of analytics consent because it protects our forms.
Administrator accounts
WeCircle staff and volunteers with website access have separate login accounts (name, email, hashed password, optional profile photo). Accounts with two-factor authentication enabled also store encrypted authenticator secrets and recovery codes. This data is not collected from general visitors.
Why we collect this information
- Join registrations: to welcome you to the right circle, send event details, and stay in touch about WeCircle gatherings you asked to hear about
- Contact messages: to read and respond to your questions about joining, volunteering, or collaborating
- Email notifications: when someone submits a join or contact form, our team receives an email alert so we can respond promptly
- Security & spam prevention: IP address, user-agent, and reCAPTCHA help us protect forms from abuse
- Website improvement: with your consent, Analytics helps us understand which pages are useful so we can improve wecircle.ca
- Administration: staff accounts allow authorized people to manage stories, events, form submissions, and site content
What we do not do
- We do not sell your personal information
- We do not run advertising trackers beyond Google Analytics (only after consent)
- We do not collect payment card information — our circles and events listed on the site are free
- We do not offer public user accounts or social profiles on the website
Who we share information with
We share data only when necessary to operate the site:
- Service providers: our website hosting, email delivery, Google Analytics, and Google reCAPTCHA may process data on our behalf under their own privacy terms
- WeCircle administrators: authorized team members can view join registrations and contact submissions in our admin panel
- Legal requirements: we may disclose information if required by law or to protect the safety of our community
We do not share your join or contact details with other members without your permission.
How long we keep information
We keep join registrations and contact submissions for as long as needed to respond to you, coordinate circles, and maintain a record of community interest — typically until you ask us to delete them or they are no longer relevant. Administrator account data is kept while the account is active. Analytics data is retained according to Google Analytics settings.
Your rights and choices
Depending on applicable law (including Canadian privacy law), you may have the right to:
- Ask what personal information we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate information
- Request deletion of your join registration or contact message
- Withdraw consent for marketing emails — every update we send includes the option to unsubscribe
- Decline analytics cookies by choosing “Essential only” on our cookie banner (you can clear site data in your browser to see the banner again)
To make any of these requests, email [email protected]. We will respond within a reasonable time.
Children
WeCircle is intended for adult women. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe a minor has submitted information through our forms, please contact us and we will delete it.
Security
We use reasonable technical measures including HTTPS, hashed passwords for admin accounts, optional two-factor authentication, encrypted storage of 2FA secrets, and form spam protection. No method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, but we work to protect the information you share with us.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy when our website or practices change. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page will reflect the latest version. Continued use of the site after changes means you accept the updated policy.