Principal Trainer
The principal trainer for the course, must be a Level 3 Senior Yoga Australia member, unless otherwise approved by Yoga Australia (via application for special consideration.)
Changes to training personnel
Following registration, if there is any change in training personnel, you must request prior approval from Yoga Australia. (Please refer to Appendix 1. Yoga Australia Supervision of Teacher Trainers Guidelines for more information).
Supervision of Teacher Trainers
You, the training provider must take responsibility for any of the teachers/training personnel involved in the delivery of the course, and for the overall training standard of the course. Teachers must be suitably qualified and experienced in the topics they teach and must be effectively under your supervision. (Please refer to Appendix 1. Yoga Australia Supervision of Teacher Trainers Guidelines for more information).
Teacher Trainee Prerequisites
Your teacher trainees must have completed at least 12 months personal yoga practice and must be 16 years or older before admission to your teacher training course.
Duration of Training
Your principal training course must be of at least 6 months duration. If your course is shorter than 6 months duration, you must provide a formal mentoring structure to enable your graduates to achieve a period of 6 months under supervision. (Please refer to Appendix 2. Yoga Australia Training and Assessment Guidelines for more information).
Teaching Requirements
Your training program must demonstrate that teacher trainees are given sufficient opportunity to learn the criteria outlined in the Yoga Australia Teacher Training Course Curriculum areas.
In the area of external education, where face-to-face contact hours are reduced or unavailable, engaging a local mentor is encouraged.
Please refer to Appendix 2. Yoga Australia Training and Assessment Guidelines, and Appendix 3. Yoga Australia Engaging a Local Mentor Guidelines for more information.
Assessment Requirements
Your assessment strategy must be comprehensive enough to demonstrate that the knowledge and skills acquired by the students during their training meets the criteria outline in the Yoga Australia Teacher Training Course Curriculum Areas.
In the area of external education where face-to-face contact hours are significantly reduced, strategies must be in place to overcome any issues related specifically to external education assessment. Note: Any practice that requires physical contact (e.g., physical adjustment) must be taught and assessed face-to-face and be included in the Scope of Practice. (Please refer to Appendix 2. Yoga Australia Training and Assessment Guidelines for more information).
Resources
Training and assessment must be suitably resourced; including but not limited to yoga equipment, textbooks, and suitably experienced trainers. In the area of external education, where face-to-face contact hours are significantly reduced, strategies must be in place to ensure training and assessment is sufficiently resourced. (Please refer to Appendix 2. Yoga Australia Training and Assessment Guidelines for more information).
Changes to registered course
You must inform Yoga Australia within 14 days if the content or delivery of your yoga teacher training course changes in any material way from the information originally submitted.
Feedback
Your marking and feedback should be completed and provided to teacher trainees in a timely manner.
Multiple Locations of Delivery
If your training course is delivered face-to-face in multiple locations (e.g., around the country), the principal trainer in each location must meet the requirements specified under ‘Principal Trainer’. Separate registration is required for each location in which the training course is delivered. Ensure sufficient details are provided for Yoga Australia to be satisfied with the quality of delivery and assessment of the course; the qualifications and experience of the trainers in each location; and the supervision arrangements with the principal trainer and assessor.
Dedicated Training Course
Your training course must be a “dedicated” yoga teacher training course. This means that the entire course curriculum, content, and delivery is documented and delivered as a yoga teacher training course and not achieved by your teacher trainees making up curriculum hours by attending general yoga classes unless training based on these is an integral part of the supervised training curriculum.
Required policies and procedures
In the interest of protecting training providers, teacher trainers and teacher trainees, your school must have the following policies in place:
- Refund policy
- Student and Staff Code of Conduct Policy
- Complaints Policy
- Deferment of Course Policy
- Expulsion Policy
- Course Cancellations Policy
(Please refer to Appendix 4: Yoga Australia Teacher Training Policy Guidelines for more information on what must be included in each policy and for policy examples that you may adopt).
Naming of Courses
Your course must use the ‘total hours’ of the course in the course name e.g., ‘350-hour Name of Yoga School, Yoga Teacher Training Course.’
You must also ensure that the name of the course does not use terms found in the Vocational Education and Training Sector (e.g., TAFEs and RTOs) and the Higher Education Sector (e.g., Universities) unless the course is registered in one of these sectors. This includes terms such as ‘Certificate,’ ‘Diploma’ and ‘Advanced Diploma’.
Marketing Courses
When marketing your course, you must refer to your course as a “Yoga Australia Registered Course (or Program)” and display the Yoga Australia “Registered Teacher Training Course” logo prominently on your various promotional media. Use of the logo is limited to advertising, promotional materials, and pages of your website directly related to your teacher training course, e.g., the logo can be used only to advertise/promote your registered teacher training course and must in no way suggest that Yoga Australia has registered all courses you deliver or be used in any other aspects of your business.
The registration of your course, and therefore your right to use the logo, remains at the discretion of Yoga Australia and these rights lapse if course registration lapses.
Registration is a process by which you satisfy Yoga Australia that your yoga teacher training course meets the requirements for your graduates to gain membership to Yoga Australia. ‘Registration’ of your teacher training course does not constitute ‘certification’, ‘endorsement’ or ‘accreditation’ by Yoga Australia, and words such as “Certified by Yoga Australia”, “Accredited by Yoga Australia” or “Endorsed by Yoga Australia” cannot, and must not, be used in your advertising or promotional materials.
Certification
Certificates of completion must be provided to all course graduates, and these must include:
- graduates name
- title of the course
- name of the school
- number of training hours
- graduation date, and
- signature of the principal trainer.
Application for Registration
Successful course registration requires that the conditions of registration are met. To support your application, ensure that your supporting documentation includes a detailed course outline that includes:
1. An overview of the course structure outlining the content, delivery method, and total course hours.
2. Demonstration of how the content matches the Yoga Australia Teacher Training Course Registration Curriculum areas based on competencies.
3. Details of how teacher trainees will be trained in each curriculum area.
4. Details of how teacher trainees will be assessed in each curriculum area.
5. Details of the qualifications and experience of all teaching staff and any supervision arrangements.
6. Details of relevant policies.
7. Any other information which may be required to satisfy Yoga Australia that your training course meets requirements and is of a high standard.
Registration process
The registration process involves a review of the application and supporting documentation by Yoga Australia. Applications are generally granted within three months. It may be necessary for Yoga Australia to ask further questions about your application, or to seek clarification of material contained in your application. Once your course is registered and payment has been made, the course will be added to the Yoga Australia website, and you can market your course as a “Yoga Australia Registered Course (or Program)” and display the Yoga Australia “Registered Teacher Training Course” logo prominently on your various promotional media (please refer to ‘Marketing of Courses’).
Maintaining your registration
Ongoing Registration
Ongoing registration of your teacher training course is at the sole discretion of Yoga Australia, and may be cancelled at any time by Yoga Australia if we:
- find discrepancies in your application,
- find that your teacher training course is not being delivered as it was presented to Yoga Australia for Registration,
- find that you are not meeting Yoga Australia Rules and Principles, Statement of Ethics and Code of Professional Practice or
- feel that continuing to register your teacher training course may compromise the safety of trainees, the reputation of Yoga Australia or the trust placed in Yoga Australia by the public.
Reregistration
Maintaining Yoga Australia registration involves reapplying for registration of your teacher training course every three years.
Auditing
Maintaining Yoga Australia registration involves participation in audits of your teacher training course/s as per the Yoga Australia teacher trainer audit schedule.
Discount for a Second or Subsequent Face-to Face Training Program Registration
A 30% discount will be offered to schools wishing to register a second or subsequent face-to-face teacher training course that is broadly the same as the initial registered course and is to be delivered primarily in Australia. This policy is to address situations in which a school may wish to deliver their course in more than one location. This will ensure that the course is listed on the Yoga Australia website for two or more locations. Any other second or subsequent courses registered with Yoga Australia will be offered a 10% discount.
For multiple course registrations, please contact [email protected] to discuss your individual circumstances.
Discount for registration of small courses
Annual course registration fees will be discounted for not for profit (NFP) or small courses. A small course is defined as a course with an expected enrolment of less than 10 students.
