You are responsible for your body at all times. Please notify Gemma of any injuries and medical issues before practicing Yoga, attending a retreat or course, or receiving a massage or energy treatment, and let her know if there are any changes. Gem Yoga is not liable for any injuries.
Gem Yoga is not liable for any damages to premises, that you attend with Gem Yoga, made by you.
Code of Conduct
Purpose Statement
Gem Yoga is committed to holding high ethical standards for our yoga teachers. We believe that it is the responsibility of a teacher to ensure a safe environment in which our students can grow physically, mentally, and spiritually. Students are looking for guidance from teachers with authenticity, experience, and wisdom.
Our Code of Conduct was developed to protect our students in this potentially vulnerable relationship with their teachers and to uphold the highest professional standards. And to protect the sangha as a safe space.
Our Code of Conduct embodies the yamas and niyamas of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali which are rules of ethical conduct that apply to all practitioners of yoga.
Financial Practices
Teachers will discuss all fees and financial arrangements in a straightforward professional manner. Teachers will manage their business affairs according to recognised standard business and accounting practices.
Gem Yoga will act transparently and honestly in the course of all business dealings and follow sound environmental and sustainable practices in their professional and personal lives.
Students can pay course fees in instalments that suit their needs, as long as the final payment is complete by the end of the course. Students will be supported to the best of Gem Yoga’s ability to ensure payments can be made.
Professional Growth/Continuing Education
Teachers 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.
Teachers shall maintain a regular yoga practice that includes asana and meditation. Teachers shall commit to the continuous improvement of their professional knowledge and skills.
Teachers shall stay current with new developments in yoga through practice and study.
Teacher-Student Relationships
Teachers shall demonstrate high regard for the moral, social, and religious standards of their students. Teachers shall avoid imposing their personal beliefs on their students, although they may express them when appropriate in the class and in a sensitive and careful manner.
Teachers recognise the trust placed in them by students and the unique power of the student-teacher relationship.
Teachers shall avoid exploiting the trust and dependency of students.
Teachers shall avoid dual relationships with students (e.g. business, close personal or sexual relationships) that may impair their judgment, compromise the integrity of the teachings and/or use the relationship for their personal gain. Teachers shall not engage in harassment, abusive words or actions, or exploit students.
Teachers should listen attentively to their students, respect their point of view, beliefs and culture, and should not allow their beliefs and values to adversely influence their relationship with their students. Teachers shall avoid imposing their personal beliefs on their students.
Teachers shall not exploit the trust of students and their potential dependency but rather, encourage students to find greater inner freedom.
Integrity
Teachers shall uphold the highest of moral standards. Teachers shall strive to ensure that their intentions, actions, and speech are based on honesty, compassion, selflessness, trustworthiness, and transparency.
Teachers recognise that the process of learning is never complete, and they shall avoid portraying themselves as “enlightened” or “spiritually advanced.”
Teachers recognize that they are walking on the spiritual path along with their fellow teachers and students.
Teachers shall cultivate an attitude of humanity in their teaching and dedicate their work to something greater than themselves.
Teachers are committed to practicing yoga as a way of life, which includes adopting the fundamental moral principles of yoga and making their lifestyle environmentally sustainable.
Teachers shall strive to adhere to the traditional yoga principles of the yamas and niyamas.
Teachers shall avoid getting into close personal or sexual relationships with students that may result in the impairment of their professional judgment or that may compromise the integrity of their teaching.
Teachers shall dedicate themselves to studying, teaching, and promoting the art, science and philosophy of yoga and to maintaining high standards of professional competence and integrity.
Scope of Practice
Teachers shall not abandon or neglect their students. If teachers are unable (or unwilling for appropriate reasons) to provide professional help or continue a professional relationship, they should make every reasonable effort to arrange for instruction for that student with another teacher.
Teachers should avoid giving any personal advice concerning a student’s personal life.
Teachers shall not give medical advice.
Teachers shall not prescribe a treatment or suggest rejecting a physician’s advice.
Teachers shall refer their students to medical doctors or complimentary licensed professionals when appropriate.
Teachers shall represent their qualifications honestly and provide only the services they are qualified and certified to perform.
Confidential Information
Teachers shall keep all personal information disclosed by their students or clients strictly confidential.
A teacher who receives any private information from a student or client may not disclose such information unless it obtains the written consent of the student or client. However, a teacher may disclose private information about a student or client without obtaining consent in the following situations: (a) to comply with the law or the order of a court; (b) to prevent bodily harm or danger to the student or client or to others; or (c) where the information has already been disclosed to the public.
Teachers shall respect and protect the welfare of all their students or clients.
Teachers will obtain the consent of students before any photos or videos are taken of the class.
Inter-Professional Relationships
Teachers are part of a network of health care and well-being professionals and shall seek to develop interdisciplinary relationships.
Teachers shall conduct themselves in an honourable manner in their relations with their colleagues and other wellness practitioners.
Teachers shall work to build the unity of their community by embracing diversity, collaboration and commitment the benefit of all.
Teachers shall practice tolerance and acceptance toward other yoga teachers, schools and traditions.
Teachers shall not criticize practices followed by other yoga schools or teachers.
Advertising and Public Communications
A teacher shall accurately represent their professional qualifications and certifications along with their affiliations with any organization(s). Announcements and brochures promoting classes or workshops shall describe them with accuracy and grace. These principles are designed to uphold the quality of our teachings and shall be in compliance with legal guidelines for appropriate representation of our services.
Teachers shall not make false, deceptive, or fraudulent statements or advertisements concerning: (i) their training, experience, or competence; (ii) their academic degrees or credentials; (iii) their institutional affiliations; (iv) their classes, workshops, and teacher trainings; (v) the scientific or clinical basis for the success of their services; (vi) their fees; or (vii) statements involving sensationalism, exaggeration or superficiality; or (viii) an intent to exploit a student’s fears or emotions or to create unjustified expectations for cures or results.
Teachers shall provide students and colleagues with good quality and factual information about their professional qualifications, the services they provide and their teaching arrangements. Teachers shall put students first, preserve their trust and maintain the professionalism of the yoga community. Teachers shall not misrepresent their professional qualifications and affiliations or falsely imply sponsorship or certification by any organization or group.
Teachers shall not make false advertisements. Teachers shall refrain from making public statements on the benefits of yoga that are not supported by science or the generally accepted experience of the yoga community. Advertisements of workshops, clinics, seminars or similar events must have a clear statement of the purpose of the event, the audience for which it is intended and its educational objectives. The education, training, and experience of the teacher shall be fairly and accurately disclosed. Advertisements shall be made with dignity. Advertisements shall not include exaggerated claims about the benefits of yoga.
Yoga Equity
Teachers shall welcome all students regardless of age, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity and perceived gender expression), sexual orientation, colour, race, national origin, marital status, parental status, veteran’s status, religion, or physical or mental disability, provided that the teacher has appropriate expertise.
Teachers shall seek to have an awareness and a commitment to making yoga more equitable, inclusive, accessible and diverse. This encompasses diversity, inclusion and accessibility in yoga.
Teachers will make the conscious decision to address each of these issues thoughtfully and intentionally throughout their work in restoring equity to the yoga community. Teachers will emphasise the importance of learning, teaching, and practicing yoga honestly, which means promoting equity, reducing harm, honouring and leveraging cultural differences, and fostering diversity and inclusion in all areas of yoga while honouring the integrity of yoga’s cultural and historical roots.
Teachers are encouraged to make yoga accessible and available to everyone. Teachers are encouraged to create integrated accessible yoga classes where all students can practice together. Teachers are encouraged to have an awareness and a commitment to making yoga more equitable, inclusive, accessible, and diverse. This includes the ways that yoga practice can be modified to suit students with disabilities, physical challenges, chronic illness, seniors, and anyone who may not feel comfortable in a regular class. It also includes making classes welcoming to everyone and approaching students in a trauma-informed way.
Teachers are encouraged to obtain appropriate training to offer accessible yoga classes.
Tuition and Refund Policy
Upon enrolling on a Gem Yoga Teacher Training course students will receive an invoice via email to pay the non-refundable deposit of £500. Once the payment is made students will receive a welcome email with course information.
Notice of Cancellation
Cancellation by you is non-refundable but in rare circumstances (and with much advance notice) a refund may be given. Evidence may be required for medical reasons before any refund can be considered. Notice of cancellation must be done in writing, either by a letter or email.
Before Program Start Date
The £500 deposit is non-refundable. If a student must withdraw from the program before the course starts for special circumstances, the program may give a refund to the student in the exercise of its discretion. The student may be given the choice to enrol on to the next training course instead.
Refunds After the Program Start Date
There will be no refunds after the start date of the program. If the applicant withdraws from the program after it starts, the applicant will be responsible for paying the full tuition, regardless of any partial payments that have been made to date.
The program tuition fees are non-refundable. If a student must withdraw from the program for special circumstances, the program may give a partial refund to the student in the exercise of its discretion.
A student completing more than 50% of the course is not entitled to a refund of any tuition. Special Cases In case a student needs to withdraw from the program due to illness, accident, death in the family, or other circumstances that make it impractical for the student to complete the course, the program will provide a reasonable and fair refund, or enrol the student on to the next available course.
Admission Denials
An applicant who is denied admission into the program is entitled to a full refund of all money paid by said applicant.
Tuition Fees
If the student is paying in instalments the full cost of the course must be paid by the end of the program to receive certification. Students must pay their instalments on agreed dates.
Cancellation by Gem Yoga
The program reserves the right to cancel any training before it begins. In the unlikely event that Gem Yoga has to cancel your course, we will notify you as soon as possible. We will firstly make arrangements of the course or a later date and contact you to enquire if the alternative dates will work for you. Failing to a suitable date, a full refund will be offered to you and delivered within a period of 30 days. Or you can transfer the full amount paid to another Gem Yoga training course within 12 months.
Bad Conduct
No refunds will be given if the program removes a student from the program for bad conduct. Bad conduct is violation of the Code of Conduct, harassment, bullying, or any other behaviour that is inappropriate or disruptive to the welfare of the program or to fellow students.
Any refunds made by Gem Yoga will be made within 30 days.
Attendance Policy
Graduation from our program requires the student’s attendance at all training sessions. Any absence must be approved in advance by our program director, and training hours must be made up at a later date.
Our program expects students to be on time for class, after breaks, and after lunch. Please let our faculty know if you will be late.
Missing Training Hours
Gem Yoga understands that life events may happen that impact a student’s attendance and Gem Yoga will do everything we can to support you through these times, helping you to complete the full curriculum. Should extenuating circumstances impact attendance, students are permitted to miss class, provided they work with the program director to make up any missed hours.
Students are responsible for rescheduling missed hours to make up any course material they have missed. If a student needs to miss any training session, he or she must speak to the program director before the beginning of the session. Students recognize that, if they miss training hours that they have not made up, they will not graduate from the program.
Gem Yoga aims to work with the student for the best course of action to make up missed training hours. Depending on circumstances and Gem Yoga’s availability extra hours may or may not be charged. In some cases, you may be charged £60 an hour to make up training hours, depending on the training subject missed and how many training hours have been missed. This will be assessed on a case-to-case basis.
A leave of absence from the program will be granted due to medical illness, family emergency or other extraordinary circumstances at the discretion of the program director. In this case our refund policy will apply to unused tuition and the student must reapply for the next available session and pay the difference, if any, of any remaining tuition and/or any related administrative fees. If tuition is increased for the next available session, the student must pay the higher rate. Gem Yoga will try our best to accommodate your needs and only charge where necessary. If there is a future training course coming up, you may be able to enrol on to that course instead, this may or may not incur a charge.
Withdrawal Policy
If a student wishes to withdrawal from our program for any reason, they must first contact the program director to discuss their reasons for withdrawal. Refunds will be given in accordance with the program’s refund policy. The £500 deposit is non-refundable.
Termination from Program
The program may decide to terminate any student’s participation in the program if:
(1) false information was used in the admission process that materially affects the program;
(2) a student missed more than 50% of any subject category, and has not been able to make up missed hours;
(3) a student is absent for more than 2 consecutive training days without contacting the program director and will not make up the training dates;
(4) the student fails to make timely payments of tuition; or
(5) the student is unable to pass a test after being given 3 attempts.
If the program decides to end the student’s participation in the program, the student is not entitled to any prior payments or fees. All prior payments and fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
No refunds will be given if the program removes a student from the program for bad conduct. Bad conduct is violation of the Code of Conduct, gossip, harassment, bullying, or any other behaviour that is inappropriate or disruptive to the welfare of the program or to fellow students.
Anti-Harassment Policy
Harassment “unwelcome verbal and non-verbal conduct directed against someone in a protected class.”
Sexual harassment “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature in the workplace.”
Sexual misconduct “describes a broad range of behaviours which may or may not involve harassment.”
Harassment Against Members of Protected Class
We do not permit managers, employees, teachers, independent contractors, students, or others in the workplace to harass any other person because of age, gender, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, genetic information, or any other basis proscribed by law.
Harassment is unwelcome verbal or non-verbal conduct, based upon a person’s protected characteristic, that (i) denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward the person because of the characteristic and which affects their employment opportunities or benefits; (ii) has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with their work performance; (iii) enduring the offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment; or (iv) has the purpose or effect of creating a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive.
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
We do not tolerate sexual harassment at Gem Yoga. Sexual harassment refers to any unwelcome sexual attention, sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, and other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
(a) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment;
(b) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual;
(c) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance; or
(d) such conduct has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.
Sexual Misconduct
We prohibit sexual misconduct in our studio. Sexual misconduct is any unsolicited and unwelcome sexual advance including requests for sexual favours, sexual touching, and verbal, visual, or physical conduct that creates a sexually hostile environment in a yoga class or studio. Teachers may not use sexually suggestive language (including sexual jokes and degrading comments), gestures, movements, or images in their classes, in their studios, on their websites, or in their social media platform.
Teachers should avoid making comments on their students’ appearance that could be perceived as sexually oriented or suggesting an attraction.
Teachers should avoid making comments that idealise or assume a specific body type or image. If a student tells a teacher that any behaviour is unwelcome and the teacher repeats the behaviour, it may be considered harassment.
Verbal Harassment
- Unwanted sexual teasing, stories, jokes, remarks, or questions
- Sexual comments, stories or innuendo
- Turning work discussions to sexual topics
- Asking about sexual fantasies, preferences, or history
- Asking personal questions about social or sexual life
- Sexual comments about a person’s clothing, anatomy, or looks
- Telling lies or spreading rumours about a person’s personal sex life.
- Referring to an individual as a doll, babe, sweetheart, honey, or similar term
- Repeatedly asking a person out on dates who is not interested
- Unwanted letters, telephone calls, or sending materials of a sexual nature
- Stalking on social media
- Unwanted pressure for sexual favours
Non-Verbal Harassment
- Blocking a person’s path or following
- Giving unwelcome personal gifts
- Displaying sexually suggestive materials
- Making sexual gestures with hands or through body movements
- Unwanted sexual looks or gestures
Physical Harassment
- Hugging, kissing, patting, or stroking
- Touching or rubbing oneself sexually around another person
- Unwanted deliberate touching, leaning over, cornering, or pinching
- Giving an un-wanted massage
- Sexually oriented asana adjustments or touch
- Promising enlightenment or special teachings or status in exchange for sexual favours
- Actual or attempted rape or sexual assault Romantic
Relationships Between Teachers and Students
Teachers shall not invite, respond to, or allow any sexual or romantic conduct with a student during the period of the teacher-student relationship. Sexual or romantic interactions that occur during the teacher-student relationship constitute sexual misconduct and are unethical.
Yoga teachers must maintain professional boundaries in their relationships with students so that the best interests of the students are served.
Anti-Retaliation Policy
Gem Yoga’ Anti-Retaliation Policy helps to establish comfort, safety, and trust within our sangha.
Retaliation ‘taking an “adverse action” against any person for having reported or threatened to report harassment, discrimination, retaliation, or violations of our Code of Conduct, or for participating in an investigation into a complaint of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation or violations of our Code of Conduct’.
Reporting harassment and other violations
We will not retaliate against any person for having reported or threatened to report harassment, discrimination, retaliation, or violations of our Code of Conduct or polices, or for participating in an investigation into any of the foregoing. Anyone who retaliates against a person will be subjected to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Reporting Sexual Harassment and Sexual Misconduct
We have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment or sexual misconduct. We encourage anyone who has been subject to this behaviour to report it to the school management. We will do everything possible to ensure that you are not retaliated against by anyone because you have reported misconduct.
Responsibility of Manaers
Managers have a responsibility to create, uphold, and promote a safe, respectful, and inclusive work environment. Like all employees, managers are required to comply with our Code of Conduct. Managers may be subject to disciplinary action if they engage in, ignore, or in any way condone, conduct that violates our Code of Conduct.
Managers are required to promptly report any violation of our non-retaliation policy to school management. Promptness is key and managers should report as soon as possible upon learning of a violation. The failure by a manager to report in a timely fashion or at all, may result in discipline up to and including termination.
Managers shall not, under any circumstances, retaliate against anyone, blame the victim, conceal a report, or discourage employees from reporting sexual harassment or violations of our Code of Conduct. If you believe a manager has behaved in that way, please report it to the school management.
Grievance Policy
Gem Yoga’s Grievance Policy gives teachers and students an easy and safe way to address troubling or sensitive issues and provides insight on how these issues will be handled.
Reporting of Policy Violations
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.
We encourage anyone who has been the subject of sexual misconduct or of any other action that violates our policies or Code of Conduct to report the incident to our school management (henceforth referred to as the “reviewing body”).
All reports must be made in good faith based on information the person reporting the incident reasonably believes to be accurate. 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. 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 the taken in response to the report will also be confidential.
The report should contain the following information:
- Your full name;
- Your email and phone number;
- The name of the person the grievance is against;
- A description of the 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.
This will assist the reviewing body in promptly and effectively responding to the complaint. We will try our best to gather the information and decide on the best action as soon as possible.
Due Process and Procedure
We recognize that our reviewing body has an obligation to give a person accused of misconduct a reasonable level of due process. We will gather all the relevant facts surrounding the matter and make a fair and objective decision based on the facts. The reviewing body may need to interview the person who reported the situation, the person who perpetrated the misconduct, and any other people who have direct knowledge about the situation.
After Acceptance of a Complaint
We will examine all other credible and objective evidence about the situation. After the reviewing body gathers the facts, we will determine if the allegations are credible. If it is determined that is the case, the reviewing body will decide what action to take and then communicate its decision to those involved.
There must be a sense of fairness and moral proportion in judging these situations. All cases of abuse and misconduct, from inappropriate commentary to physical assault, will be judged objectively and the reviewing body will fashion a sanction that fairly and equitably addresses the situation, giving due considerations, to all the facts. In many cases, it may be hard to uncover all the facts, there may be conflicting facts, there may be conflicts of interest, and there may be circumstances and facts that weigh on both sides of the scales of justice. However, the reviewing body will use sound and careful judgment in deciding what type of sanctions to impose.
The reviewing body will decide the appropriate response from the following:
- Do Nothing. The facts do not show that the person committed the policy violation.
- A Warning. The facts show that the person’s actions were minor and that a warning is a fair sanction. The warning could be coupled with counselling.
- Dismissal. The facts show that the person’s actions were so serious that they warrant dismissing the person from the studio or community. The person is dismissed, and their employment or independent contractor agreement is terminated.
- If the violation is serious the police will be contacted to intervene.
A full report will be made on the situation and kept for future reference if needed.