What is the violent crime reduction campaign?
Hitch Marketing have been asked by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to develop a campaign in partnership with young people which will support other young people to not get involved with violent crime.
What is the survey Hitch are running?
As part of this project, Hitch Marketing are carrying out research, including an online survey with young people aged 10-17 across Greater Manchester. The platform we are using is called Smart Survey. This research is being done to help us understand young people’s experiences of living in Greater Manchester, so we can develop a campaign which will interest them.
Who are Hitch Marketing?
Hitch Marketing is a research and marketing company who have been asked by GMCA to run this project. You can find out more about Hitch Marketing here: https://www.hitchmarketing.co.uk
Data Controller
If you have any questions about how your data (information) is stored, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
How do we collect your data (information)?
Should you wish to take part in this research, you will need to answer questions which relate to your age, the area you live in and whether you have ever had a criminal conviction (a yes/no answer). These questions will make sure you are right for the research and allow Hitch to understand what type of people are answering the survey.
The survey will then ask you a variety of questions. Any personal data (beyond age, location and if you have ever had a criminal conviction) will also have the option ‘prefer not to say.’ Other questions will relate to your experiences of living in Greater Manchester, attitudes and behaviours.
Answers to the survey questions, from everyone (not just your answers), will be downloaded by Hitch and stored on Hitch’s secure file server. These answers will be analysed. This data will be anonymous.
At the end of the research, Hitch will ask you if you would like to take part in more research, or if you would like to be entered into a prize draw, to win a pair of Apple AIrPods.
If you select ‘yes’, you will then be asked to provide your name and contact details. If you choose to leave your contact details, your answers (including personal data relating to age, area you live in and if you have had a criminal conviction) will remain anonymous, your contact details will be stored in a separate spreadsheet, which will be saved on Hitch’s secure server. This will be made clear at the end of the survey.
If you are under the age of 13, you must confirm a responsible adult, with legal responsibility, is happy for you to leave their contact details with Hitch. Hitch will then be in touch with your parent or guardian about future research or if you win the prize draw.
Where your data will be stored
If you do leave your name and contact details, these will be stored in a spreadsheet in Hitch’s digital files. This will be password protected and will only be accessed by a small number of people in the Hitch team. After 18 months, this information will be destroyed.
Answers to the survey will also be stored in a spreadsheet on Hitch’s secure drives.
Smart Survey will not hold any personal data on you. However, if you would like to find out more about Smart Survey, you can visit https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk.
How your data will be used
Your data will be used to help Hitch Marketing create a positive campaign or project to help other young people in Greater Manchester to not become involved in violent crime.
We may publish a report or presentation using anonymised data. These reports will not identify you or other people. Should we use quotes you have given in the report or presentation, your name will not be attributed to the quote so it will be anonymous.
GMCA may use the data to inform other projects, but any data they receive from Hitch will be completely anonymous.
Do we share your data with anyone?
Once the focus groups have been completed, Hitch will share a report or presentation with GMCA. This will not contain any names or personal details.
GMCA may ask for Hitch to send them the answers from the survey, which will be completely anonymous. If this does happen, before sending to GMCA, Hitch will ensure all data is completely anonymous.
Legal reasons for using your data
We will gain consent from you to take part in the research and that you are happy for us to use your data as stated in this document.
If we do share the forum discussions with GMCA, we are able to do this under public task, specifically The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 Chapter 3 and Crime and Disorder Act 1998. Any information shared with GMCA will not be identifiable.
Keeping your data safe
Any digital files will be stored on secure servers, in line with security best practice.
How long will we keep your data?
All personal data, such as your consent form or contact details (if you wish to take part in further research), will be destroyed after 18-months.
Transferring your data outside of the European Union (EU).
Your data will not be stored or moved outside of the EU.
Decisions about your data
All decisions made about you from your survey answers or whether to contact you, should you leave contact details at the end of the research, will be made by a person. This will be someone who works in the research team at Hitch. Every member of our research team follows the Market Research Society Code of Conduct https://www.mrs.org.uk/standards/code-of-conduct.
Your data rights
You have a number of data rights. You can:
- Ask for copies of your data, such as the report we produce for GMCA, by contacting Hitch;
- Raise concerns if you think your data is not being used or looked after in the right way; and
- Ask for your personal data to be deleted within 18-months of taking part in the research (it will be destroyed after 18-months). If you chose to leave your contact details at the end, we can delete these at your request.
Please contact Hitch Marketing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you would like to do any of the above. You must quote the number allocated to you and what action you would like us to take.
Please note, it is not possible to delete survey answers once you have completed the survey, as there we will not be able to identify individual answers.
To make a query or complaint
If you feel your data is not being used properly, please contact your community group in the first instance.
If you would rather speak to Hitch directly, please email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
or write to:
Hitch Marketing
Suite E, Candy Park
Bromborough
Wirral
CH62 3PE
+44 (0)151 334 3486
You can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you think any data protection laws have been broken.
We may track and record communication (internet, email and telephone calls) with us to help sort out complaints. This also helps us to prevent and detect crime.