Yoga New Zealand is a national body for registration, representing the interests of yoga teachers in Aotearoa. It is a not-for-profit members’ organisation, which operates with internationally robust standards for professional yoga training and teaching. Membership with YogaNZ ensures that your peers, employees, and the public know that you have a thorough and assured level of training and teaching experience.
YogaNZ aims to foster connection and shared space amongst the community of yoga professionals in Aotearoa, by promoting members’ events, and hosting regular events. Joining a professional organisation is beneficial for your own professional development, and for the growth of yoga in Aotearoa.
If you’re a member; re-register for the current membership year here
Membership benefits include:
- – Demonstrating your commitment to yoga as a profession and the international standards required for best practice
- – Free access to YogaNZ’s events: 10 annual Sangas, and the YogaNZ annual Forum
- – Discounts at YogaNZ Hauora Conference
- – Teacher listing on YogaNZ website
- – Membership with New Zealand Register of Exercise Professionals (NZ REPs)
- – Access to research and other CDP resources, including recordings of YogaNZ Sangas and Forums
- – Discounted Public Liability, Statutory Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance option
- – Advocacy on behalf of yoga at national and local government, health authorities, and agencies
- – 30% discount on all advertising options with ‘The Yoga Lunchbox” website
- – Listing you courses and workshops on YogaNZ website
- – Networking with like-minded colleagues & a range of skills
Membership Levels
- Level 1 – 200 hour training over a minimum 12 months
- Level 2 – 350 hour training over a minimum 12 months
- Level 3 – 500 hour training, teaching for 5 years, and 500 hours of teaching
- Level 4 – 1000 hour training, teaching for 10 years, and 1000 hours of teaching
Yoga Teacher Curriculum Guidelines
To help you determine which level of membership you belong in, the Curriculum Guideline indicates the requirements of training and experience for each membership level.
Please note, these are not absolute rules. Membership is considered on a case-by-case basis, as we recognise that your actual training in yoga teaching may vary by style or tradition of yoga and may not have come from a single source – you may have acquired your expertise in different ways, from different teachers with different learning models.
Special entry is available, on request, for teachers who have been trained in yoga where the training was less ‘formal’ and was not certified – for example traditional training in a guru-disciple relationship; apprenticeship training. This membership category is especially relevant to teachers who gained their training and experience in the years before certification of teacher training became the accepted norm.
However, your overall training and experience must largely cover the curriculum areas and time requirements shown in the Curriculum Guideline table. If yours is a special case such as this, you can use the Curriculum Mapping Document to organize this evidence. In instances where no certificate is available, you may provide testimonials as evidence of your training and experience.
Membership Fees
For a first time application there is an applicable $57.50 application fee.
For annual membership including the optional insurance cover the annual fee is $207.00.
For membership not including the optional insurance cover the annual fee is $117.00.
First Aid
For Yoga New Zealand Membership a comprehensive workplace first aid certificate is required. The First Aid Certificate can be completed with any course provider which can be chosen at your own discretion, the course undertaken should include NZQA units 6401 and 6402.
Both St John NZ and NZ Red Cross frequently run courses which meet these requirements.
Length of training
The minimum time required for integrating the philosophy and techniques of yoga into a new teacher’s life is considered to be 12 months, whether the training undertaken is full-time, part-time or by distance learning. If training time is less than 12 months then the applicant is to provide evidence of having received regular mentoring from a more senior teacher during the shortfall time.
Upgrading membership
Once you have completed the required additional hours of training and teaching, as shown on the curriculum table, then you can update your membership, or re-register at this new level, to reflect this. Please contact us at info@yoganewzealand.org.nz for assistance with this.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Each year each yoga teacher must earn a minimum of 10 CPD points. You can read more about the CPD guidelines here.
If you don’t have the required 10 CPD points when it comes time for re-registration for the next membership year (1 October – 30 September), you are able to re-register with a deficit – we just ask that you make a genuine effort to make up these points in the following year. If you need support with how to do this, contact us at info@yoganewzealand.org.nz.
As CPD will count towards upgrading membership level, it is useful to keep good records of all training undertaken.
NZ REPS (New Zealand Register of Exercise Professionals)
REPs Registration is included as a benefit of Yoga New Zealand Membership. This means that all our members are automatically able to teach in fitness environments and premises. In addition, the REPs insurance is now available to Yoga New Zealand members.
The REPs Insurance Covers:
- -Professional Indemnity
- -Public Liability
- -Statutory Liability
You can find more information on the specific REPs Insurance policy on the REPs website – www.reps.org.nz/insurance
Registered Yoga Therapist
Yoga Therapists certified with the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) and have the C- IAYT qualification can directly enter the register as a Yoga Therapist. To do this they will need to be a YogaNZ member.
Yoga Therapist curriculum
Available on request.
A yoga therapist must also be a yoga teacher member.
What is required of a fitness professional wanting to teach yoga in a fitness setting?
Many exercise facilities and leisure centres within New Zealand are REPs registered facilities, which means they require any individual delivering exercise or yoga within their facility to hold a REPs Registration. This membership is included with any YogaNZ membership.
How can I use the Yoga New Zealand member Registration Mark?
Yoga New Zealand members can and should use the Teacher Registration Mark in their advertising and promotional materials.
These can be found in the member’s area of our website.