Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Last Updated: February 5th, 2026

Welcome to the Global Youth Congress (“we,” “our,” or “us”). We are committed to safeguarding your privacy and ensuring that your personal data is protected. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information and outlines your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, you can reach us at events@theglobalyouthcongress.com.

1. Data We Collect

We collect only the data necessary to fulfill our educational and travel services. We may collect:

  • Personal Information: Name, email address, phone number, school name, role within an educational institution, age, birthdate, and home address.

  • Travel & Safety Data (Strictly for Trip Fulfillment): Passport details, visa information, minors’ travel permits (notarized letters), emergency contact information, and relevant medical information (allergies, conditions) required for safety during travel programs.

  • Payment Information: Payment card details and banking information (processed via secure gateways; we do not store raw credit card numbers).

  • Technical Information: IP addresses, browser type, cookies, and browsing behavior on our platform.

2. Purpose of Data Collection

We collect personal data exclusively for the following purposes:

  1. To create and manage user accounts for the Global Youth Congress platform.

  2. To process payments and fulfill educational travel programs (e.g., booking flights, hotels, and securing visas).

  3. To ensure the physical safety and medical well-being of students during live events.

  4. To provide customer support and respond to inquiries.

  5. To communicate with users regarding their specific program logistics.

  6. To analyze website traffic and user behavior through tools like Google Analytics (anonymized where possible).

  7. To comply with legal, contractual, and regulatory requirements, including international travel laws.

3. How We Obtain Consent

We collect consent through:

  • Data Collection Checkboxes: For specific purposes such as marketing or program enrollment.

  • Cookies Banner: Users can choose which types of cookies they consent to.

3.1. Minors & Institutional Registration (Crucial)

For users under the age of 18 (including 12-year-old participants):

  • Role of the School: We recognize that registration is often handled by schools or educational institutions. By registering a student, the Institution warrants that it has obtained express written consent from the student’s parents or legal guardians to share this data with us.

  • Parental Verification: We reserve the right to audit these consents or request direct parental verification at any time.

4. Sharing of Personal Data

We do NOT sell personal data. This is a strict policy. We never sell, rent, or trade the personal information of minors to third parties for general marketing purposes.

We share data with trusted third parties only when strictly necessary for the fulfillment of our services or the provision of specific educational opportunities:

  • Educational & Talent Partners: We may share student contact and performance data with specific university partners (e.g., Full Sail University, Texas Tech) or talent organizations (e.g., Chelsea FC, United Nations) under the following strict conditions:

    1. Direct Relevance: The student participated in a program co-hosted by or directly involving that partner (e.g., attended a campus tour, participated in a co-branded sports camp).

    2. Opportunity Focused: The purpose is solely to communicate specific opportunities such as scholarships, academic admissions, or talent recruitment based on the student's performance or attendance.

    3. Logistical Necessity: For programs co-run with a university, data sharing is necessary for the delivery of the educational curriculum and campus logistics.

  • Travel & Program Vendors: Airlines, hotels, insurance providers, and ground transportation services (to fulfill the trip).

  • Payment Providers: Stripe, PayPal, and banks (to process tuition).

  • Cloud & Hosting Services: Trusted partners who host our secure servers.

  • Analytics: Google Analytics and Meta Business Suite (aggregated data only).

All third parties we work with are bound by data protection agreements and contractual clauses that comply with GDPR and CCPA.

5. Security Measures

We implement robust security measures to protect your data, including:

  • SSL Encryption: To protect data during transmission.

  • Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Required for administrative access to sensitive data.

  • Data Minimization: We only request data that is absolutely required for the specific program the student is attending.

  • Regular Security Audits: To detect and prevent potential breaches.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal data only as long as necessary to provide services or fulfill contractual obligations. Specific retention periods include:

  • Financial Records: Retained for 7 years to comply with tax and audit regulations.

  • Liability Waivers & Contracts: Retained for 5 years post-program to comply with legal statutes of limitation.

  • Travel Documentation (Passports/Visas): Securely deleted 30 days after the completion of the trip.

  • Inactive User Accounts: Deleted after 2 years of inactivity.

Once the retention period expires, we securely delete or anonymize your data. Users may request data deletion earlier unless we are required by law to retain it.

7. Your Rights Under GDPR and CCPA

7.1 GDPR Rights (For EU/EEA Residents)

As a user under the GDPR, you have the following rights:

  • Access: Request a copy of the data we hold about you.

  • Correction: Request that inaccurate or incomplete data be corrected.

  • Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data ("Right to be Forgotten").

  • Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a portable format.

  • Objection: Object to the processing of your data for specific purposes.

To exercise these rights, contact us at events@theglobalyouthcongress.com.

7.2 CCPA Rights (For California Residents)

Under the CCPA, California residents have the following rights:

  • Right to Know: You may request details about the personal information we have collected about you in the past 12 months.

  • Right to Delete: You may request deletion of your data, subject to legal or contractual requirements.

  • Right to Opt-Out: While we do not sell personal data, you have the right to opt out of any potential future data sales.

  • Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights under the CCPA.

8. International Data Transfers

As an international organization, we may transfer your data to servers or partners located outside your home country, including to the United States. We ensure that appropriate safeguards, such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), are in place to protect your personal data during these transfers.

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience on our website. You can manage your cookie preferences through our Cookies Banner or browser settings.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

The Global Youth Congress reserves the right to modify, amend, or replace this Privacy Policy at any time, at our sole discretion.

  • Notification of Changes: If we make material changes to how we process personal data, we will notify you by updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy and, where required by law, by providing notice via email or a prominent banner on our website.

  • Applicability to Active Registrations: If we modify this Privacy Policy after you have registered for a specific program but before that program’s fulfillment is complete, the terms that were in effect at the time of your official registration will continue to govern that specific transaction, unless you explicitly consent to the new terms. If you do not agree to the new terms, the original terms will apply until the completion of your registered program.

  • New Registrations: Any registration for a new or subsequent program made after the "Effective Date" of an updated policy will require your acceptance of the new terms.

  • Continued Use: For general website use (non-program specific), your continued access to or use of our services after any revisions to this Privacy Policy become effective constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your data rights, please contact us at:

Global Youth Congress safeguarding@theglobalyouthcongress.com 16192 Coastal Highway Lewes, DE 19958 United States