Complaints Policy

YWAM Australia values open communication, integrity, and reconciliation in all areas of community life and training. We are committed to providing a respectful and fair process for resolving any concerns or complaints raised by students, staff, or members of the public.

Our Commitment

We seek to handle all complaints with humility, sincerity, and a focus on restoration. Guided by biblical principles and national training standards, our goal is to resolve issues in a way that promotes understanding and peace.

YWAM will:

• Listen carefully to all feedback or complaints

• Ensure all parties are treated fairly and without bias

• Handle complaints promptly, respectfully, and confidentially

• Provide a written response to formal complaints

• Allow a support person to accompany the complainant if desired

• Use feedback to help improve our training, services, and community life
  
  

How to Make a Complaint

Complaints may be submitted in person, in writing, or by email. We encourage anyone with a concern to first speak directly with the person involved, if appropriate. If resolution is not achieved, the matter can be raised with a relevant team leader, and if needed, formally submitted using our Complaints Record Form.

A formal complaint should be lodged within 20 working days of the incident. YWAM will begin responding to the matter within 10 working days. If resolution takes longer than 60 days, we will inform the complainant in writing and provide regular updates.

For Overseas Students

If you are an overseas student, you have the right to remain enrolled during the complaints process. Once you’ve exhausted YWAM’s internal complaints processes, you may access an external complaints body if needed, such as the Overseas Students Ombudsman at www.ombudsman.gov.au.

Contact Us

To submit a complaint, please contact us via email: info@ywambyronbay.com, or speak with a staff member at the YWAM location.

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Appeals Policy

At YWAM Australia, we are committed to acting with fairness, integrity, and a deep respect for every individual. We understand that at times, decisions made by the organisation may have a significant impact on a student or participant. In these cases, if you are an enrolled student in a YWAM Training course, you have the right to request a review through our appeals process.

What is an Appeal?

An appeal is a formal request to review a decision made by YWAM that adversely affects you, the student. This may include decisions related to:

• Disciplinary action or behavioural breaches

• Suspension or withdrawal from a course

• Refusal of transfer, deferral, or extension

Any administrative or enrolment decision that negatively affects your participation or progress

(This process is separate from general complaints or appeals of assessment results.)

Our Commitment

YWAM will:

• Consider all appeals fairly, confidentially, and without bias

• Respond in a timely and respectful manner

• Provide you with written notice of the outcome and the reasons for the decision

• Allow you to be accompanied by a support person throughout the process

• Offer you the opportunity to escalate the appeal externally if you are not satisfied with the outcome
  
  

We seek to handle appeals in a spirit of restoration, justice, and reconciliation, following biblical principles and complying with Australian training regulations.

How to Lodge an Appeal

You should lodge an appeal within 20 working days of receiving the decision. Appeals should be submitted in writing using our Complaints Form, available from your Course Leader or YWAM Office.

We will begin responding to your appeal within 10 working days of receiving it. If the process takes longer than 60 calendar days, we will provide written updates and reasons for the delay.

For Overseas Students

If you are an international student:

• You will remain enrolled during the appeals process.

• We will not report changes to your enrolment (e.g. suspension or cancellation) through PRISMS until all internal and external appeals processes are complete, as required by the National Code.

• If your appeal is unsuccessful, we will inform you within 10 working days of your right to access an external appeals body, such as the Overseas Students Ombudsman.
  
  

Visit www.ombudsman.gov.au for more information.

Contact Us

For more information or to request the full Appeals Policy, please contact our email: info@ywambyronbay.com, or speak with a Course Leader or Base staff member.

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Privacy Statement

This document sets out the Privacy Policy for the data that YWAM Byron Bay collects, uses, maintains and discloses information collected from users (each, a ‘User’) of the https://www.ywambyronbay.com/, websites (‘Site’).

YWAM Byron Bay is committed to protecting your privacy and providing you with the best possible service experience. YWAM Byron Bay is bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), including the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) as well as ACNC External Conduct Standards 2019. Where we collect personal information from individuals located outside Australia, including the European Union, we take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is handled in a manner consistent with applicable privacy laws and good practice.

Personal Identification Information

We may collect personal identification information from Users in a variety of ways in connection with activities, services, features or resources we make available on our Site. 

Users may visit our Site anonymously where it is practicable to do so. 

We will collect personal identification information from Users only if they voluntarily submit such information to us. 

If you choose not to provide certain personal information, we may not be able to provide you with access to certain services, features or activities. 

Non-Personal Identification Information

We may collect non-personal identification information about Users whenever they interact with our Site. The non-personal identification information may include the browser name, the type of computer and technical information about Users means of connection to our Site, such as the operating system and the Internet service providers utilised and other similar information.

Web Browser Cookies

Our Site uses ‘cookies’ to enhance a User’s experience. We use cookies to personalise content, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. The User’s web browser places cookies on their hard drive for record-keeping purposes and sometimes to store information about the Users preferences for use of the Site. The User may choose to set their web browser to refuse cookies or to alert them when cookies are being sent. If they do so, note that some parts of the Site may not function properly as a result.

We also share information about your use of our site with our analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use our website.

Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user’s experience more efficient.

The law states that we can store cookies on your device if they are strictly necessary for the operation of this site. For all other types of cookies we need your permission.

This site uses different types of cookies. Some cookies are placed by third party services that appear on our pages.

Where required, we will seek your consent to the use of cookies. You may manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings.

How We Use Collected Information

YWAM Byron Bay may collect and use Users personal information for the following purposes:

• To run and operate our Site - We may need your information to display content on the Site correctly.

• To improve customer service - The information the User provides helps us respond to customer service requests and their support needs more efficiently.

• To personalise User experience - We may use information in the aggregate to understand how our Users as a group use the services and resources provided on our Site.

• To improve our Site - We may use feedback Users provide to improve our products and services.

• To send periodic emails - We may use the email address a User provides voluntarily to respond to their inquiries, questions, and/or other requests.

• To send regular update emails - We may use the email address a User provides voluntarily to send regular emails to inform the User of updates.

We only collect and use personal information where it is reasonably necessary for our functions and activities.

Overseas Disclosure

Some of the third-party services we use (such as website hosting, analytics providers, email platforms or cloud storage services) may store or process personal information outside of Australia. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure that these organisations handle your information in accordance with applicable privacy laws.

Access, Correction, Deletion of Your Information

We respect your privacy rights and provide you with reasonable access to the Personal Data that you may have provided through your use of the Site. If you wish to access or amend any other Personal Data we hold about you, or to request that we delete or transfer any information about you, you may contact us as set forth in the ‘Contact Us’ section. At your request, we will have any reference to you deleted or blocked in our database(s).

At any time, you may object to the processing of your Personal Data, on legitimate grounds, except if otherwise permitted by applicable law. If you believe your right to privacy granted by applicable data protection laws has been infringed upon, please contact YWAM Byron Bay’s privacy contact at info@ywambayronbay.com. 

You may opt-out from the collection of navigation information about your visit to the Site by Google Analytics by using the Google Analytics Opt-out feature.

We will respond to requests for access or correction within a reasonable timeframe.

Privacy Complaints

If you have a concern or complaint about how your personal information has been handled, please contact us using the details below. 

We will acknowledge your complaint and respond within a reasonable time frame. Please see our Complaints Policy.

If you are not satisfied with our response you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) via www.oaic.gov.au 

How We Protect Your Information

We adopt appropriate data collection, storage and processing practices and security measures to protect against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure or destruction of your personal information, username, password, transaction information and data stored on our Site.

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us or store on the Site, and you do so at your own risk. We also cannot guarantee that such information may not be accessed, disclosed, altered, or destroyed by breach of any of our physical, technical, or managerial safeguards. If you believe your Personal Data has been compromised, please contact us as set forth in the ‘Contact Us’ section.

If we learn of a security system breach, we will inform you and the authorities of the occurrence of the breach in accordance with applicable law.

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law.

Sharing Your Personal Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent Users personal identification information to others. We may share generic aggregated demographic information not linked to any personal identification information regarding visitors and users with our ministry partners and trusted affiliates for the purposes outlined above. We may use third-party service providers to help us operate our ministry and the Site or administer activities on our behalf, such as sending out newsletters, surveys or hosting. We may share Users information with these third parties for those limited purposes, provided the User has given us permission. This permission is obtained when the User uses this Site as outlined below in ‘Your Acceptance of These Terms’.

Electronic Newsletters

If the User decides to opt-in to our mailing list, they will receive emails that may include ministry news, updates, related opportunity or service information, etc. We may use third-party service providers to help operate our ministry and the Site or administer activities on our behalf, such as sending out newsletters or surveys. We may share the Users information with these third-parties for those limited purposes provided that the User has given us their permission. This permission is obtained when the User decides to opt-in to our mailing list.

Protecting Children and Young People 

YWAM Byron Bay recognises the importance of protecting the privacy of children and young people. We may collect personal information from individuals under the age of 18 in connection with participation in programs such as youth camps, training courses, or other ministry activities.

Where we collect personal information from a person under the age of 18, we will do so with the consent of a parent or legal guardian, or through an application process that involves a parent or guardian.

We take reasonable steps to ensure that personal information relating to children and young people is handled with appropriate care and is only used for the purpose for which it was collected.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

YWAM Byron Bay has the discretion to update this Privacy Policy at any time. When we do, we will revise the updated date at the bottom of this page. We encourage Users to frequently check this page for any changes to stay informed about how we are helping to protect the personal information we collect. You acknowledge and agree that it is your responsibility to review this Privacy Policy periodically and become aware of modifications.

Your Acceptance of These Terms

By using this Site, you signify your acceptance of this Policy. If you do not agree to this Policy, please do not use our Site. Your continued use of the Site following the posting of changes to this Policy will be deemed your acceptance of those changes.

Contacting Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, the practices of this site, or your dealings with this Site, please contact us.

Post: Attn Privacy Policy

PO Box 2506 Byron Bay, NSW 2481, Australia

Phone: (02) 56117007

Email: info@ywambyronbay.com

This statement was last updated on 21/04/2026