Code of Conduct

Purpose

We are committed to holding high ethical standards for our trainers and graduates. We believe that it is the responsibility of a trainer to ensure a safe environment in which our trainees can grow physically, mentally, and spiritually. Trainees are looking for guidance from trainers with authenticity, experience, and wisdom. Our Code of Conduct was developed to protect our trainees in this potentially vulnerable relationship with their trainers and to uphold as well as model the highest professional standards.

 

Financial Practices

Hello Yoga and its trainers will be honest, straightforward, fair, and conscientious in conducting all their business affairs. Hello Yoga and its trainers will manage their business affairs according to recognized standard business and accounting practices. Hello Yoga and is trainers will discuss all fees and financial arrangements in a straightforward professional manner.

 

Professional Growth and Continuing Education

Trainers shall maintain the integrity, competency, and high standards of the yoga profession by continuously striving to improve their skills through keeping current in new developments in yoga practice and by participating in continuing educational programs.

 

Trainer-Trainee Relationships

Trainers shall treat their trainees with respect and with regards to their individuality, dignity, and privacy.

 

Trainers shall maintain professional relationships with their trainees. Trainers recognize that the trainer-trainee relationship involves a power imbalance. Trainers shall avoid any relationship with a trainee that exploits the trainee in any way or that may be used for the trainer’s personal benefit. Trainers shall not engage in harassment, abusive words or actions, or exploit trainees.

 

The relationship between a yoga trainer and a trainee is based on trust. To establish and maintain that trust, trainers must be polite, considerate, and honest in their interactions with their trainees.

 

Trainers should practice good communication with their trainees. Trainers should listen attentively to their trainees, respect their point of view, beliefs and culture, and should not allow their beliefs and values to adversely influence their relationship with their trainees. Trainers shall avoid imposing their personal beliefs on their trainees.

 

Romance: Trainers shall not invite, respond to, or allow any sexual or romantic conduct with a trainee during the period of the trainer-trainee relationship, nor for six months after the trainee’s graduation from that relationship. 

 

 

 

Integrity

Trainers shall uphold the highest of moral standards. Trainers shall strive to ensure that their intentions, actions, and speech are based on honesty, compassion, selflessness, trustworthiness, and transparency.

 

Trainers recognize that the process of learning is never complete, and they shall avoid portraying themselves as “enlightened” or “spiritually advanced.” Trainers recognize that they are walking on the spiritual path along with their fellow trainers and trainees. Trainers shall cultivate an attitude of humanity in their teaching and dedicate their work to something greater than themselves.

 

Scope of Practice

Trainers shall represent their qualifications honestly and provide only the services they are qualified and certified to perform. Trainers shall not give medical advice. Trainers shall not recommend treatment, diagnose a condition, or suggest that a trainee disregard medical advice. Trainers shall refer their trainees to medical doctors or complementary licensed professionals when appropriate.

 

Confidential Information

Trainers shall keep all personal information disclosed by their trainees or clients strictly confidential. A trainer who receives any private information from a trainee or client may not disclose such information unless it obtains the written consent of the trainee or client. However, a trainer may disclose private information about a trainee or client without obtaining consent

in the following situations:

• to comply with the law or the order of a court.

• to prevent bodily harm or danger to the trainee or client or to others; or

• where the information has already been disclosed to the public.

 

Inter-Professional Relationships

Trainers are part of a network of healthcare and well-being professionals and shall seek to develop interdisciplinary relationships. Trainers shall seek to collaborate with other professionals to protect and enhance the wellbeing of the yoga community and the public generally.

 

Yoga Equity

Trainers shall welcome all trainees regardless of age, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity and perceived gender expression), sexual orientation, color, race, national origin, marital status, parental status, veteran’s status, religion, or physical or mental disability, provided that the trainer has appropriate expertise.

 

Grievance Policy

We encourage anyone who has been the subject of sexual misconduct or any other action that violates our policies and Code of Conduct to report the incident to the program director (henceforth referred to as the “reviewing body”). The trainee may also apply to the Reviewing Body if they feel they have been unjustly failed from an Assessment.

 

The report should contain the following information:

• Your full name.

• Your email and phone number.

• The name of the person who the grievance is against.

• A description of the alleged policy violation.

• The date and location of the policy violation.

• Names and contact information of any witnesses with first-hand knowledge of the situation; and,

• Any other credible evidence that is available to support the grievance.

 

In the interest of fairness and privacy, all reports must be made by the person who has personally experienced the misconduct. We will not investigate a matter based upon a third-party report of misconduct.

 

• All reports must be made in good faith based on information the person reporting the incident reasonably believes to be accurate.

• Due to the time sensitive nature of these matters, all reports must be made within 14 days of the incident in question.

• We may request additional information from the person reporting the incident throughout the course of review of the report.

• We will take appropriate action to ensure compliance with our policies.

 

The reviewing body will impose any sanctions that it feels are fair, just, and reasonable under all circumstances. The reviewing body will work most as expeditiously as possible to resolve the manner in a fair and thorough manner. We will not allow anyone to retaliate against any person for making a report in good faith or providing information in connection with an investigation into an alleged violation. Any information provided during a grievance report review will be treated on a confidential basis. Similarly, any actions that are taken in response to the report will also be confidential.

 

Anti-Retaliation

We prohibit retaliation against anyone for reporting a violation of our Code of Conduct or other policies, or for participating in an investigation relating to a violation of our Code of Conduct or other policies.

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Tuition & Refund Policy

 

Withdrawals

• An applicant who withdraws from the program 14 days before the Start Date is entitled to a refund of all monies except for their non-refundable deposit.

• A trainee who withdraws from the course within the first 4 hours of  commencement of training program may be refunded up to 50% of the full program price.

• After the first 4 classroom hours, there will be no refunds. If the applicant withdraws from the program for any reason, the applicant will be responsible for paying the full tuition, regardless of any partial payments that have been made to date.

Bad Conduct

No refunds will be given if the program removes a trainee from the program for bad conduct. Bad conduct is violation of the Code of Conduct, harassment, bullying, or any other behavior that is inappropriate or disruptive to the welfare of the program or to fellow trainees.

 

Assessment and Graduation Policy

To graduate from this program, trainees must meet the Attendance Policy standards as well as the Assessment standards as outlined in the Welcome Section of the Trainee Manual. Failure to successfully meet the standards of assessment during the program will require the trainee to engage in additional work and study until these assessments can be successfully met.

 

If a trainee feels that they have been unjustly assessed, they may file a grievance in accordance with the grievance policy.