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Policies

Picture of Greg Pointing
Photo: C. Pizzuti

Policy Outlines

Formal policy statements are at the bottom of this page.

Privacy

We maintain student details on our database and on the ActiveCampaign service. We will not sell, trade or in any way divulge your personal details to any person or any query without your permission unless compelled by law. This means we will not give out personal details to other group members or any other person seeking them except where the NSW Privacy Act compels us to do so. We abide by the NSW Privacy Act. You may request to be ‘unsubscribed’ from our mailing list at any time.

Photos

We sometimes take photos during workshops to provide publicity material and to keep a record of our work together. Photos have been taken at SAT events by Christine Pizzuti and other photographers. As a participant in our workshops you may be asked to sign a release form to allow us to use photos with you in them for publicity purposes. You do not have to sign the release. If you don’t wish to have your photo taken, please let us know and we will inform the photographer.

Financial Rebates and Health Funds

Although Alexander Technique is an educative technique, it can have positive health benefits. For this reason lessons may be supported financially via the NDIS or Workcover. In addition many of Australia’s top Health Insurance Funds provide some cover for their customers to learn Alexander Technique. Most SAT teachers are accredited Health Benefit providers for private lessons. See Health Fund rebates page.

The Business

Sydney Alexander Technique is a business partnership owned by Greg Holdaway and Kathy Driscoll ABN: 39 705 927 717. Our business vision is to provide a hub for quality learning of Alexander Technique in Sydney to promote the benefits of Alexander Technique to the greater community. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer (sees Anti-Discrimination Policy below) and abide by the NSW Workplace Health and Safety Act (See Work Health & Safety Policy below).

Fees

All fees contain 10% GST. We calculate our fees with great care to provide the best value we can for our students while paying teachers a fee that respects their experience. The discounts that we offer are genuine and calculated on payment in advance. This allows us to meet business overheads. Please help us by paying your fees in advance. With International teachers overheads are higher due to travel and accommodation costs. This is offset for our students by early-bird discounts which are a pay-in-advance incentive. Bringing overseas teachers to Australia provides our students and professional trainees with access to some of the foremost and influential teachers in the world.

Bookings and Cancellations

Please provide payment in advance via direct deposit unless otherwise arranged. Prepaid classes are transferrable to another person with advance notice.

Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours notice will incur the full fee. Please let your teacher know if you are unable to attend an appointment or are going to be late. We do not offer refunds or makeup lessons if you miss a booked class without notice.

Where an advance booking for a series of lessons or classes is cancelled mid-way, sessions attended will be charged at the ‘casual’ rate, and the remainder refunded. If special circumstances exist please let us know as the Director may make special arrangements at his discretion.

If we are not able to provide a prepaid class a makeup session will be arranged at a mutually convenient time. If this is not possible your fee will be refunded in full.

Complaints

Should you have a complaint about a teacher or one of the participants please speak with us first. We will deal with any complaint respectfully and proactively. For our complaint procedure please see our formal policy below. For issues relating to professional practise, AUSTAT may be contacted on 1300 788 540 or at www.austat.org.au.

Continuous Improvement – Creating an Alexander Technique Community

Our vision is to continuously improve our professional practises, see our formal policy below. We wish to provide excellent Alexander teaching by experienced teachers from here and overseas to the people of Sydney. We hope that many people will take advantage of group classes, international workshops, Alexander events, web sites, Facebook and Twitter so that the remarkable discoveries of FM Alexander gain a larger exposure than they have.

We are genuine in our intent to provide a high quality learning experience. Please let us know your ideas for how we can improve our service to you…. and thanks for reading all the way to the end :-)

Student Disclosure & Policy

The Alexander Technique is a practical skill which can improve your functioning in all kinds of activities. It is often used to help manage injury and relieve pain.

The Alexander Technique will improve your performance in professional and recreational skills and can become a foundation for ongoing personal development.

While the Alexander Technique can have therapeutic benefit, it is not a medical modality or treatment. Please ensure you inform your teacher of any discomfort you experience, including pre-existing injury, pain or medical conditions and that you have qualified medical advice regarding any conditions you may have.

The Alexander Technique includes hands-on guidance and requires your active participation, including practice at home. Please wear loose comfortable clothing, as you may work on the table or floor during your sessions. A minimum of ten classes is recommended. Most students continue beyond this point.

Confidentiality

We keep your information on our database system and will contact you about AT related events and publications. You can unsubscribe from the mailing list at any time. Unless required by law, or with your permission we will not disclose private information in any way that could identify you. Please respect the privacy of other participants in group classes.

Bookings and Cancellations

Please provide payment in advance via direct deposit unless otherwise arranged. Prepaid classes are transferrable to another person with advance notice. Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours notice will incur the full fee. Please let your teacher know if you are unable to attend the appointment or are going to be late. We do not offer refunds or makeup lessons if you miss a booked class without notice.

Where an advance booking for a series of lessons or classes is cancelled mod-way, sessions attended will be charged at the ‘casual’ rate, and the remainder refunded. If special circumstances exist please let us know as the Director may make special arrangements at his direction.

If we are not able to provide a prepaid class, a makeup session will be arranged at a mutually convenient time. If this is not possible your fee will be refunded in full.

Anti-Discrimination Policy

Sydney Alexander Technique is an equal opportunity employer (EEO). All employees are treated on their merits, without regard to race, age, sex, relationship status or any other factor not applicable to the position.

Sydney Alexander Technique believes that all employees and clients should be able to work in an environment free of discrimination, victimisation, sexual harassment and vilification. We consider these behaviours unacceptable and they will not be tolerate under any circumstances.

Discrimination against any potential client on the following grounds or attributes is not permitted or acceptable by Sydney Alexander Technique:

  • sex
  • relationship status
  • pregnancy
  • parental status
  • breastfeeding
  • age
  • race
  • impairment
  • religious belief or religious activity
  • political belief or activity
  • trade union activity
  • lawful sexual activity
  • gender identity
  • sexuality
  • family responsibilities
  • association with someone with an attribute above.

Sydney Alexander Technique conforms to all legal requirements in reference to EEO and anti-discrimination. We actively extend positive non-discriminatory behaviours to all our clients.

Work Health & Safety Policy

Sydney Alexander Technique recognises its moral and legal responsibilities under the NSW Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation to provide a safe and healthy work environment. This commitment means that we will:

  • provide a safe and healthy workplace and working conditions for all including employees, contractors, customers and visitors
  • provide training to enable all employees to work safely
  • comply with all relevant legislation and industry standards
  • consult with staff and contractors where relevant to enhance the effectiveness of procedures
  • conduct regular reviews and evaluations of the health and safety systems in place

Employee and contractor responsibilities at work include:

  • take reasonable care to ensure good health and safety procedures are implemented at all times
  • identify and support measures to eliminate or minimise unsafe conditions
  • assume personal responsibility for their own safety and for those of other work colleagues by always operating in a safe and appropriate manner

Complaints Procedure

Terms

“BodyMinded” means BodyMinded (Sydney Alexander Technique)

“Student” means a participant at a BodyMinded training event

“Director” refers to Director of Training, Greg Holdaway

“Assistant Director” refers to Assistant Director of Training at BodyMinded

“The Teacher” refers to the teacher leading the training event

The complaints procedures described below are subject to review from time to time. Any substantive changes will be subject to consultation and agreement from the student in writing.

BodyMinded will attempt in good faith to resolve any issue affecting the student related to their study. This includes in the first instance access to confidential discussions with the Director or Assistant Director who will attempt to resolve issues fairly and in a timely fashion. If, however, the matter of concern is not resolved, the student has access to a more formal complaints procedure.

  1. Should the student wish to make a formal complaint or appeal it should be reported in writing to the Director and the student will be given the opportunity to formally put their case to the Director or Assistant Director in person. The student may invite a third party to assist them in presenting their case if they so desire.
  2. Within seven working days, BodyMinded will provide the student with written documentation of all actions and outcomes, which arise in response to the grievance or appeal including full reasons for any decision BodyMinded may make.
  3. Should the student be dissatisfied with the school’s response to a complaint, the Director and the student will negotiate in good faith to mutually attempt to come to a resolution. Such negotiation will be documented in writing.
  4. Formal Resolution – External Professional Mediator appointed Formal dispute resolution may be requested after all appropriate forms of informal resolution have been sought. The student shall request mediation in writing. BodyMinded will contact the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia (IAMA) Dispute Resolution Centre in NSW to arrange for an accredited independent professional Mediator.
  5. In consultation with the Mediator, all costs associated with mediation and arbitration are to be agreed to by both parties in advance.
  6. Mediation will be organised within fourteen working days and the outcome of this mediation will be known at the end of the mediation session.
  7. The Mediation can be held at an agreed location.
  8. Both parties will commit to resolving the complaint.
  9. The Mediator will document all outcomes of mediation.
  10. At completion of the Mediation, both parties must sign an agreement agreeing to the outcomes.
  11. The student agrees, by signing this contract, to abide by a process based as the last resort on mediation or arbitration as outlined above.

Quality Assurance, Evaluation & Continuous Improvement Policy

 Sydney Alexander Technique training programs are delivered with control and oversight provided by Training Director Greg Holdaway. SAT is committed to continuous improvement in its practises. This is intended to enhance performance, achievement and student engagement and is achieved via a systematic approach of evaluation based on client feedback.

Review and evaluation are conducted via anonymous student survey, currently developed online at the Survey Monkey service.