HELYO ry (“HELYO,” “we,” “us”) respects your privacy and that of the young musicians and families we work with. This policy explains what personal data we collect through helyo.fi, why, and what rights you have.

Who we are

HELYO ry is a registered association (rekisteröity yhdistys) in Finland, Y-tunnus 3649798-7, operating the English-language Helsinki Youth Orchestra. Our registered address is in Helsinki, Finland.

Contact for privacy matters: hello@helyo.fi

What data we collect

Through the audition/enquiry form, we collect:

  • Parent or guardian’s name
  • Child’s name
  • Child’s age
  • Instrument and playing level
  • Any additional notes you choose to provide

If you email us directly, we collect whatever information is contained in that correspondence.

We do not knowingly collect data directly from children under 16 without a parent or guardian’s involvement.

Why we collect it

We use this information solely to:

  • Evaluate and respond to audition enquiries
  • Arrange taster sessions and auditions
  • Enrol and communicate with founding members and their families once accepted
  • Administer the season (rehearsal scheduling, invoicing, concert planning)

We do not use this data for advertising, and we do not sell or rent it to third parties.

Legal basis for processing

Because our members are minors, we process this data based on:

  • Consent from a parent or legal guardian, given when the enquiry form is submitted
  • Contractual necessity, once a child is enrolled, to deliver the orchestra programme

You may withdraw consent at any time by contacting hello@helyo.fi; this will not affect processing already carried out.

Who we share it with

We do not share your data with third parties for marketing purposes. Limited data may be shared with:

  • St Nicholas’ Anglican Church / Mikael Agricola Church, our rehearsal and concert venue, where necessary for scheduling or safeguarding purposes
  • Volunteer or contracted section coaches, limited to what they need to teach your child
  • Service providers who process data on our behalf (e.g. email or hosting providers), under standard data-processing terms

We do not transfer personal data outside the EU/EEA except where a service provider we use (e.g. hosting) does so under adequate safeguards (such as EU Standard Contractual Clauses).

How long we keep it

Unsuccessful or non-followed-up enquiries: deleted after 12 months Enrolled members’ data: retained for the duration of membership plus up to 2 years afterward, for administrative and safeguarding record purposes, unless you request earlier deletion (subject to any legal retention obligations)

Your rights

Under the GDPR, you (or your child’s parent/guardian) have the right to:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you or your child
  • Correct inaccurate data
  • Request deletion (“right to be forgotten”), subject to legitimate retention needs
  • Restrict or object to processing
  • Request a copy of your data in a portable format
  • Withdraw consent at any time
  • Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman (Tietosuojavaltuutetun toimisto) in Finland

To exercise any of these rights, contact hello@helyo.fi.

Cookies & website analytics

helyo.fi does not currently use cookies or website analytics tools. If this changes in future (for example, if analytics are added), this section will be updated accordingly and, where required by law, you will be asked for consent before non-essential cookies are set.

If you leave a comment on our site you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.

If you visit our login page, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.

When you log in, we will also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.

If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply indicates the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after 1 day.

Safeguarding

As an organisation working with children, HELYO ry is committed to safeguarding the welfare of all members. Personal data collected in connection with safeguarding concerns is handled with additional confidentiality and shared only with those who need it to protect a child’s welfare.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The current version will always be available at helyo.fi/privacy-policy, with the date of last update shown below.

Last updated: 22 September 2026