Confidentiality and Privacy Basics
Protect the private information people trust you with as a volunteer.
For: Any volunteer
What you’ll learn
- Identify what information must be kept confidential — and what only feels private
- Apply the "need to know" rule before sharing anything about the people you serve
- Handle, store, and dispose of sensitive details responsibly
- Know the limits of confidentiality — when you must report, and to whom
- Avoid the everyday mistakes that quietly breach trust
Screen your volunteers for $5
VolunteerBadge runs FCRA-compliant background checks for just $5 — with identity verification built in. No monthly fees, no contracts.
Create a free account →Course outline
- 1
Why confidentiality is part of the job
4 min
- 2
What actually counts as confidential
5 min
- 3
The "need to know" rule
5 min
- 4
Handling and storing information safely
5 min
- 5
The limits of confidentiality
5 min
- 6
The everyday mistakes that breach trust
4 min
- 7
Putting it together: the confidentiality reflex
3 min
Sources & further reading
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — HIPAA Privacy Rule — "minimum necessary" standard
- Federal Trade Commission — Protecting Personal Information: A Guide for Business
- Childhelp / Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline — Reporting child abuse and mandated reporting
- American Psychological Association — Mandatory reporting: confidentiality and its limits
- Verizon — Data Breach Investigations Report — the human element in breaches
This course is educational and provides general information about the Fair Credit Reporting Act and volunteer-screening best practices. It is not legal advice. Laws vary by state and change over time — consult a qualified attorney about your organization’s specific obligations.