Data protection has moved from a niche legal topic to an everyday operational duty. Mobile money, digital health records, online registration and cloud storage mean that personal information flows through almost every process. Regulators and development partners expect organisations to show who is responsible for it, why it is collected and how it is protected, and individuals are increasingly aware of their rights.

The Fundamentals of Data Protection & Privacy (DPO) Training Course is built for people new to the field. Participants begin with the vocabulary and principles, then learn how those principles turn into working practice: mapping data, choosing a lawful basis, writing a privacy notice, responding to access and deletion requests, and choosing safeguards proportionate to risk. The programme explains what a data protection officer does, where independence and conflict of interest arise, and how the role relates to IT, legal, HR and senior management.

Sessions use sample forms, registers and incident scenarios rather than abstract legal reading, and the emphasis stays on practical judgement. Participants produce a starter data inventory, a short impact assessment and a breach response outline. General principles are taught, so participants should confirm the detail of their own national law with qualified counsel.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Distinguish personal data, sensitive data, controllers, processors and data subjects.
• Explain the core principles that govern lawful processing of personal data.
• Select and document an appropriate lawful basis, including valid consent.
• Handle requests to access, correct, delete or object to the use of personal data.
• Build a record of processing activities and a simple data inventory.
• Carry out a basic data protection impact assessment.
• Review contracts and data sharing arrangements with processors and partners.
• Prepare a personal data breach response plan and notification procedure.

The course is suitable for people who are new to data protection or have been given responsibility for it, including:

• Newly appointed data protection officers
• Legal, compliance and risk officers
• HR managers handling employee records
• IT, information security and systems administrators
• Records and knowledge management officers
• Customer service, marketing and fundraising managers
• Health, education and social service administrators
• Internal auditors and NGO programme data managers

Participants will take away:

• A starter data inventory and record of processing for their organisation.
• A lawful basis decision guide and consent checklist.
• A step-by-step procedure for handling data subject requests.
• A short impact assessment template ready for a real project.
• A breach response outline naming roles, timelines and notification steps.
• A first-year DPO work plan with priorities.

Because many participants are new to the topic, teaching is plain and practical. The format includes:

• Clear explanations with everyday workplace examples
• Sample registers, notices and request forms to complete in class
• Short scenarios on consent, requests and vendor risk
• A tabletop breach exercise with assigned roles
• Question time to relate principles to each participant's sector

Participants who attend every session and complete the practical exercises will receive a CPD-accredited Certificate of Completion issued by Vision Reach Global Consultancy. The certificate records training attendance and does not confer a legal qualification.