Yoga and Poverty Project

Primary Aim

To set up a minimum of 12 classes at or close to hubs and services for people struggling financially and run these classes for a minimum of 6 months. Our intention, having demonstrated their effectiveness, is to find further funding for their continuation and set up more.

Each class will include:

  • Stress management
  • Mental health focus
  • Physical health focus
  • Exercise and stretching
  • Postural work and core strengthening
  • Meditation and/or mindfulness
  • Deep relaxation
  • Adaptations for those with mobility or health challenges
  • Tips, materials/links, encouragement for practice at home
  • Discrete option to donate for those able to

 

 

Secondary Aim

To produce a manual on yoga and poverty based on this experience which covers how to set up classes (in UK’s current climate of scarcity and underfunding), keeping participants and teachers safe and what to teach. The intention of this manual is to encourage Kundalini Yoga teachers across the UK to also set up classes in their local areas. However, since most of the content will be applicable to working with yoga and poverty in other parts of the world too, distribution will not be limited to the UK.  

The manual will contain:

  • Finding and approaching local services (who to ask for and what to say)
  • Funding (grants, crowd funding etc.)
  • Keeping participants safe (screening students, knowing your limits as a teacher, referring on)
  • Self care
  • What to teach and how to teach it (planning and delivering yoga appropriate to client group)
  • Monitoring and evaluation
  • Further training and support