CPD Reform and Tutorial
Changes to CPD Anniversary: as of July 1st 2025, all CPD will be completed and tracked in alignment with the Financial Year (July 1st – June 30th).
Continuing Professional Development for Growth and Expertise
The yogic path is one of perpetual learning and growth. The modern implementation of yoga (as well as many other fields of healthcare and wellness) benefits greatly from the concept of Continuing Professional Development (CPD). This is a crucial aspect of maintaining excellence in our craft that allows us to stay updated with industry trends, evolving practices, and the latest evidence.
At Yoga Australia, we’re committed to facilitating a spectrum of CPD options that cater to diverse needs and aspirations. We’ve recently made some changes to our CPD program, which we are pleased to present here.
Embracing a Diverse CPD Spectrum
Your CPD journey can vary from year to year. Some years might see you enthusiastically investing in your personal and teaching growth via certified courses, while others might be more relaxed in the way of self-education or attending workshops. Our goal is to ensure that every member, regardless of budget or time constraints, has accessible avenues for continuing education.
Our newly launched CPD Short Courses are always an excellent option, as are the longer PD Courses offered by our members. On the other hand, there are years when self-study, revisiting your teacher training notes, exploring quality lectures, reading relevant journals can contribute to your points. We’ve created a platform that’s inclusive and accessible to all, ensuring that you can engage with CPD in a way that suits you best
Evolving to Address Societal Needs
We’ve recently updated some of the listed topics to align with the realities of our profession. As yoga teachers, we play a crucial role in the mental and emotional wellness of students. As such, our latest curriculum and CPD reforms include a focus on mental health awareness and cultural awareness.
The biggest change is on the topic of mental health, trauma, and cultural awareness.
In response to the recommendation of our Teacher Training Committee and Yoga Therapy Committee, and in consultation with the Senior Council of Advisors, we now include a mandatory annual mental health-related CPD topic. Similarly, understanding and respecting the cultural backgrounds of our students enriches our teaching approach. More than ever, the sober and caring recognition of the impact of colonialism on the First Nations of Australia must be considered by all who reside and work here.
Members of Yoga Australia already accrue 12 points of CPD each year, and now 2 of those points must come from learning on the topic of “mental health, trauma, and cultural awareness”.
We are pleased to formally recognise the growing need for fluency in such matters, as is the case with many other professions in Australia.
As always, this obligation can be fulfilled through formal courses or via self-study.
Additionally (and this is more of a technical/administration change), conventional first aid is now considered part of the CPD process. All members must keep their first aid up to date, and may claim 1 point per year while ever it is so. We do not require CPR refreshers each year, but it is strongly recommended.
Navigating the New CPD Landscape
We have improved the member portal to make the process straightforward and easy to navigate. Upon logging in, you’ll find a user-friendly dashboard that neatly tracks your CPD points, teacher training hours, and teaching experience hours. This streamlined system allows you to stay organised and ensure your progress aligns with your professional goals.
Our growing library of free Teacher Resources (articles, pre-recorded sessions) and CPD Short Courses (learning modules developed by Senior Teachers) cater to diverse learning preferences and provide valuable insights to enhance your teaching and personal growth.
We’re excited to present these enhancements to our CPD framework and provide you with a holistic approach to continuing education. CPDs are not just an obligation but an opportunity to grow, evolve, and offer the best to your students. Whether it’s engaging in formal courses, delving into self-study, or exploring thought-provoking resources, your CPD journey is a powerful way to shape the future of yoga and wellness in Australia!
How do I calculate CPD points?
We have simplified our CPD classification for ease of tracking and accrual.
- Passive activities like watching a video or listening to recorded audio earn 0.5 CPD points per hour
- Interactive learning is in-person or online activity that involves discussion, feedback, examination or review, and this earns 1 point per hour
For example:
- Watching a 1 hour video earns 0.5 CPD points, since it is passive watching
- Live training that includes open discussion, workshop questions, etc qualifies 1 point per hour.
- Watching a video and submitting a summary is given 1 point since it involves watching as well as review
- Receiving mentoring from a senior teacher is worth 1 CPD point per hour
- Yoga Australia also provides high quality CPD Short Courses with quizzes that provide 1, 2, or 3 CPD points depending on their complexity.
Other Frequently Asked Questions:
- CPDs can be accrued from sources outside of Yoga Australia
- CPDs can be accrued through yoga-related self-study, state the author, title, and a summary of the material
- CPDs will be completed and tracked in alignment with the Financial Year (July 1st – June 30th)
- If you need to track a half point, please wait to accumulate 2 half points to track 1 full point
- Yoga Australia CPD short courses automatically add to your CPD tracker
- Attending another teacher’s class is something we strongly encourage but is not counted as CPD
- If you are a registered yoga therapist, 9 of the 12 CPD points should support your work in this space
Tutorial: Making the Most of your Membership
Watch staff members from Yoga Australia as they explain and demonstrate the importance of obtaining & tracking CPD activities. Yoga Australia members are required to lodge CPD points each year.
Further education is important to gain new skills and career training after completing formal education as a Yoga Tracher. CPD can be in the form of attending events, yoga classes & retreats, workshops, seminars and Approved Professional Development courses listed on the Yoga Australia website.
This session explains where to find CPD resources, the importance of using the CPD tracker (located in your member dashboard).
Note: Yoga Australia members who are logged in can see the video for free, otherwise you will see the trailer. Not a member yet? Join here.