Purpose

This policy affirms Masters Meridian Yoga's belief in responsible social and ethical behaviour from all employees and students enroled in any course at Masters Meridian Yoga. This policy clarifies the standards of behaviour that Masters Meridian Yoga expects of all employees and students.

Principles

Our employees contribute to the success of our organisation and that of our clients. Masters Meridian Yoga fully endorse that all employees are not deprived of their basic human rights.

Furthermore, our employees have an obligation to the business, students, and themselves to observe high standards of integrity and fair dealing. Unlawful and unethical business practices undermine employee and student trust.

Policy

Our Code of Conduct policy applies to all employees and students and provides the framework of principles for conducting business and dealing with other employees, clients, and students. This Code of Conduct does not replace legislation and if any part of it is in conflict, then legislation takes precedence. This policy is based on the following:

• Act and maintain a high standard of integrity and professionalism.

• Act and maintain a level of respect for staff and other students in all interactions.

• Respect the input and opinions of others and act in an inclusive manner in all interactions.

• Be responsible and scrupulous in the proper use of company information, funds, equipment (for example yoga mats), retreat facilities, and any other facilities, tools or equipment provided throughout the duration of the Yoga Course, Workshop, Retreat or Course.

• Be considerate and respectful of the environment and others.

• Exercise fairness, equality, courtesy, consideration, and sensitivity in dealing with other employees, clients, students, supervisors and mentors.

• Avoid apparent conflict of interests, promptly disclosing to a Masters Meridian Yoga Business Manager, any interest which may constitute a conflict of interest.

• Promote the interests of Masters Meridian Yoga

• Attend and participate in Workshops, Group Activities, Retreats, On-Line discussions, and Class learning with, honesty, care and diligence.

• Abide by policies, procedures and lawful directions that relate to staff employment with Masters Meridian Yoga and/or our Clients and/or other Students.

• Avoid the perception that any business transaction may be influenced by offering or accepting gifts

• Under no circumstances may employees offer or accept money

• Any employee, who in good faith, raises a complaint or discloses an alleged breach of the Code, whilst following correct reporting procedures, will not be disadvantaged, or prejudiced. All reports will be dealt with in a timely and confidential manner.

Masters Meridian Yoga expects co-operation from all Employees and Students in conducting themselves in a professional, ethical, and socially acceptable manner of the highest standards.

Any Employee or Student in breach of this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, including termination, or Expulsion from further studies.

Should an employee or Student have doubts about any aspect of the Code of Conduct, they must seek clarification from the Business Manager.

This policy will be regularly reviewed by Lisa Masters and any necessary changes will be implemented by the Business Manager.

Code of Conduct Policy Next Review Date: January 2025

Policy

Masters Meridian Yoga supports the right of every student to lodge a complaint if they believe a decision, behaviour or action affecting their study is unfair or impacting their ability to complete the course they are enrolled in. A student may raise a grievance about any other student or staff member.

We aim to resolve problems and complaints promptly and as close to the source as possible. When necessary, Masters Meridian Yoga will escalate a complaint to the next higher level of authority for more discussion and resolution, and continue escalating it to the level above until it is resolved.

Staff will do their utmost to action grievances objectively, discreetly, and promptly. Be aware that complaints that are misconceived, vexatious, and lacking substance may result in no action being taken against the student and/or employee lodging the complaint.

Procedure

1. The student should try to resolve the grievance as close to the source as possible. This can be informal and verbal. At this stage, every possible effort should be made to settle a complaint before the formal complaint process starts. If the matter still can’t be resolved, the process continues and becomes formal.

2. To start the formal process complainants must fully describe their issue in writing, with dates and locations wherever possible and how they have already tried to settle the issue.

3. The person(s) against whom the complaint is made should be given the full details of the allegation(s) against them. They should have the opportunity and a reasonable time to respond before the process continues.

4. If the complaint still can’t be resolved, refer the matter to the Business Manager for consideration and a final decision. A complaint taken to this level must be in writing.

5. The Business Manager will take all reasonable steps to resolve the complaint and is required to respond within 48 hours with an outline of the action required.

6. All necessary business steps will be implemented to ensure students and staff are treated within the relevant Health and Safety and Privacy Legislation.

7. In the event of no satisfactory outcome with Masters Meridian Yoga, students are encouraged to use the link to Yoga Australia’s grievance process which is in place where no satisfactory outcome is obtained with Masters Meridian Yoga. The link is below:

https://www.yogaaustralia.org.au/grievance/

Complaints Policy Next Review Date: January 2025

Deferment is accepting the offer of a place in the program but deferring enrolment in the program for a specified period, normally one year.

Deferment of the course is subject to approval by Masters Meridian Yoga. An application in writing must be made stating the reason for deferment and submitted to naturalelementhealth@gmail.com. Masters Meridian Yoga will attempt, within reason, to accommodate a deferment to ensure the best outcome of the participant.

All course fees and future due progress payments will be placed on hold in the event of an approved deferment.

A change of mind is not deemed as reasonable and not subject to the deferment policy.

Students will be subject to expulsion if deemed to behave in inappropriate behaviours:

• any occurrence, or threat, of physical violence or harm.

• vandalism.

• repeated verbal aggression, abuse, vilification, and obscenity, particularly when the student has been warned that such conduct will not be tolerated.

• behaviour by one student that academically harms another student.

Notwithstanding, a staff member has the right to refer to a decision-maker the behaviour of a student which they consider to be misconduct, and which is covered by the definitions in the Policy. The referral can be in any form - in person, by telephone, in writing, or by e-mail.

Note that in some situations the staff member should also complete an Incident Report under the Health and Safety Policy.

All staff members involved in a student misconduct situation, whether as a decision-maker, complainant, committee member or in any other capacity, should adhere to this.

1.1 Principle of Natural Justice

Decision-makers must act fairly and without any actual or perceived bias:

• A person is innocent until proven guilty.

• Justice delayed is justice denied.

Persons should have an opportunity to present their views and respond to any adverse material:

• People should know the origin of evidence against them.

• All parties to a decision should be heard and all relevant arguments considered before a decision is made.

1.2 Principle of Confidentiality

Details of an allegation and information about the complainant, the student, the investigation, the committee deliberations, and the correspondence, should be restricted to persons who need to know in order to carry out their role in the process.

The Business Manager must be notified within 24 hours of any such incident. In the event of a serious injury, threat, or harm emergency services are to be called and staff are to be directed by any personnel.

Masters Meridian Yoga approved Privacy Policy 2023

Copyright for Students

Copyright © 2024 Natural

Element Health, All rights reserved.

Any unauthorized use of content may result in legal action. Under no circumstances can content, materials, resources or course materials be distributed or used without prior written approval from Lisa Masters.

This document outlines the copyright protection for students in Australia, ensuring the ethical and legal use of educational materials. Please read this copyright notice carefully to understand your rights and responsibilities as a student.

Ownership of Materials: The copyright for all academic materials, including but not limited to textbooks, handouts, lecture notes, e-books, online content, and multimedia resources, belongs to their respective copyright holders, such as authors, publishers, or educational institutions.

Permissible Use: As a student, you may use copyrighted materials within the bounds of fair dealing provisions under the Australian Copyright Act 1968. Fair dealing allows limited use of copyrighted materials for purposes such as research, study, criticism, review, parody, satire, reporting news, or professional advice. It is important to ensure that your use falls within the fair dealing provisions.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism, the act of presenting someone else's work or ideas as your own without giving proper credit, is strictly prohibited. Plagiarism includes copying, paraphrasing, or closely imitating someone else's work without appropriate citation. Always cite your sources accurately and comprehensively when using external materials in your academic work.

Academic Integrity: Upholding high standards of academic integrity and respecting the intellectual property rights of others is essential. Any form of cheating, including unauthorized sharing or distribution of copyrighted materials, is against academic policies and may lead to disciplinary actions.

Online Resources: When using digital resources, be aware that accessing or downloading copyrighted materials without the necessary permissions may infringe upon the rights of the copyright holders. Make sure to comply with the terms of use provided by online platforms, educational databases, or digital libraries.

Fair Dealing: Fair dealing is an important aspect of copyright law in Australia. It allows for limited use of copyrighted materials for specific purposes such as research, study, criticism, review, parody, satire, reporting news, or professional advice. It is important to understand and comply with the fair dealing provisions when using copyrighted materials.

Attribution: Whenever you use copyrighted materials, it is crucial to provide proper attribution to the original creator and acknowledge their intellectual contributions. This includes citing authors, publishers, sources, and obtaining permissions when necessary.

Public Domain: Certain works, referred to as public domain, are not protected by copyright and can be freely used by anyone. However, it is important to verify the public domain status of materials before use, as different rules may apply depending on the nature of the work and its copyright status in Australia.

Creative Commons: Creative Commons licenses offer a framework for copyright holders to grant more flexible permissions to users. When using Creative Commons-licensed materials, ensure that you understand and comply with the specific terms and conditions associated with each license.

Copyright Agency Limited: The Copyright Agency Limited is an organization in Australia that manages the rights of copyright holders and facilitates licensing arrangements for the use of copyrighted materials. Familiarize yourself with their policies and procedures to ensure compliance with copyright regulations.

By understanding and respecting copyright laws, you can foster an environment of innovation, creativity, and ethical use of intellectual property in your academic pursuits in Australia.