Correspondance Course

Yoga for Health & Wellbeing Course

A self-study correspondence course teaching the skills of yoga, meditation and mindfulness.

Available free to all prisoners in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Yoga Education In Prisons Trust is proud to present our new and updated yoga correspondence for prisoners course.

We have been providing the course to prisoners in Aotearoa since 2016, with a course that was kindly gifted to us by Seva Unite a South African yoga in prisons organisation. In 2019 we began a rewrite of the course in order to better reflect our New Zealand culture and values.

The course has been written by senior yoga teachers within Aotearoa, in conjuction with a dedicated YEPT taskforce and with professional literacy advice. All of the graphics, design, artwork and photography is made and created in Aotearoa.

  • Introduction to the Courses: Each course combines learning on yoga, meditation, breathwork, and deep relaxation.

    Module Structure: Students are given a physical yoga practice, breathwork practice, and meditation/relaxation practice in each module. Each module also contains information on yoga theory, philosophy, and principles.

  • Course Content: The modules include physical yoga practices, breathwork practices, meditation/relaxation practices, as well as information on yoga theory, philosophy, and principles.

    Anatomy and Physiology: Students also get to learn about all the systems of the human body as part of the course.

    Self-Care Techniques: The courses include self-care techniques to help students build self-awareness. It's a journey of self-discovery.

    Building Self-Reflection: The courses develop the capacity for self-reflection, help understand a healthy lifestyle, and empower with knowledge and practical tools.

    Impact on Prisoners: Testimonials and feedback highlight the positive changes in prisoners' lives, including improved relationships, courage, and help with mental health issues.

  • Self-Paced Learning: Students can move through the course at their own pace, with a recommended duration of one month per module.

    Course Levels: Levels 1 and 2 are designed for beginners through to progressive teachings, while Levels 3 and 4 are for deeper learning and peer instruction.

    Peer Instructor Courses: Levels 3 and 4 are for prisoners to teach other prisoners and are not a formal yoga teacher training course.

    Accreditation Status: The courses are not NZQA accredited at this time, but there are efforts to work toward accreditation due to the benefits it can offer to prisoners in receiving an official NZQA Level program.

How does the course work?

The course is made up of four levels. Each level is made up of 3 course books & 3 workbooks.

Level One

Foundation Yoga Course

Level Two

Progressive Yoga Course

Level Three (not yet available)

Expansion Yoga Course

Level Four (not yet available)

Peer Instructor Yoga Course

How do prisoners do the course?

The course is entirely correspondence-based, with options for written or email communication. Prisoners can write to us or request their Volunteer Coordinator or another support person to email or send their request. We respond with a welcome letter and send them the Beginners Booklet & first module.

Once they complete a module, they are asked to provide feedback on their experiences. We receive their email, and our course mentors respond and send the next module. In cases where prisons prefer more involvement, they can print modules for prisoners, coordinated between the YEPT course mentor and prison volunteer coordinators. Email correspondence offers a faster turnaround, reducing potential delays associated with traditional mail.

Course Feedback

  • “Yoga has shown me a new way of being. Not only am I physically stronger – I am spiritually stronger. Yoga is more than a philosophy, or a fitness programme – it is a way of being in this world.

    The pain of prison no longer has to be avoided at all cost. It can now be used, through my yoga practice, as a mechanism for personal growth, as the pain of my incarceration has brought me to yoga.”

  • “Emotionally yoga has improved my anger management, as I used to be a short tempered person. I feel good to be in my own skin.

    I feel good to be practicing yoga and it makes me a happy person.”

  • “What is the best thing you have discovered about yourself through doing this course? – “There isn’t one thing I’ve discovered about doing this course, there are a lot of best things I’ve discovered, from better health, better mentally, more flexible, more in tune with my environment, and I live in the now.

    It has helped cure my depression and anxiety. This is all due to the course helping me in all aspects of my life.”

  • “I realized that yoga not only helps your flexibility and strengthening of muscles, but it also unlocks your state or mind to enable you to solve day to day problems without stressing.”

  • “I also have used yoga to distract me from alcohol and drug cravings.

    The breathing techniques and the whole awareness techniques are the best tools for me to use when I think about alcohol and drugs.”

  • “I have discovered what, and who I am, and what really matters to me.”

  • “We can find freedom in prison, this is a lifetime thing, and it’s very good for our physical, mental, psychological and spiritual health.”

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Please post letters to

    Yoga Education In Prisons Trust

    PO Box 7365,
    Newtown,
    Wellington, 6011
    New Zealand

    or email us: info@yogainprisonstrust.org

  • It is great to have a mat, but you do not need a mat to practice yoga. Some prisons do hold mats and these are available during in prison yoga classes.

    We can also provide a mat (free of charge) to any prisoner who requires one (and is permitted to have a mat in their cell). Please contact us or ask the prisoner to contact us and we will get a mat sent into them.

  • We put a general time of one month per module. Each level has 3 modules, and it will take a prisoner approximately 3 months to complete a level. We do understand though that things can get busy in prison, and prisoners also may be moved between prisons, so we allow time for this.

    There is no time limit – if it takes a prisoner 6 months to do a level that is fine too. If there is a particularly long time between receiving correspondence from a prisoner, we may ask them to start the course from the beginning, but this has only happened in a few cases.

  • No, the course is 100% free for all prisoners in Aotearoa New Zealand.

  • Yes, we provide a certificate at the end of each level, if a prisoner goes through and does all four courses, they will receive four certificates in total. We are not currently NZQA accredited but are working on this, as we would love to be able to provide prisoners with an accredited programme.

  • Prisoners are welcome to continue the course from home and we will continue to mentor them. We provide information for the prisoners about this in the course guidelines.

  • Yes, please click here for a sample letter you can print out and give to them to send or be emailed to us.

  • Yes! The course is also free to all prison staff who wish to do the course, and to whanau of prisoners who wish to do the course.

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