Yoga Therapy
Yoga Therapy Scholarship Scheme (YTSS)
& Small Group Classes (SGC)
Yoga therapy offers a powerful and effective approach to intervention and rehabilitation for individuals with disabilities and special needs. At YAMA Foundation, we provide personalised 1:1 adaptive yoga therapy through our Yoga Therapy Scholarship Scheme (YTSS) and inclusive support via our Small Group Classes (SGC).
Our mission is to champion yoga therapy as a transformative early intervention and rehabilitation solution for those who need it most. To further this goal, we conducted a comprehensive study evaluating the impact of our yoga therapy programs on 60 children with disabilities and special educational needs (C-SEN). Running from January 2021 to December 2023, the study revealed compelling evidence that yoga therapy serves as a highly effective alternative to traditional therapeutic methods. We are now looking to further enhance our findings from the study with a controlled group this year.
Through our initiatives, we aim to empower individuals and promote the widespread adoption of yoga therapy as a meaningful pathway to enhanced wellbeing.
Fill up our new student intake form to apply for the next intakes of YTSS and SGC. Read below for our eligibility criteria and terms and conditions.
Hersha gently adjusts a student.
Yoga Therapy Scholarship Scheme (YTSS)
Our Yoga Therapy Scholarship Scheme awards successful applicants with 10 sessions of individual adaptive yoga therapy to improve gross motor planning, social development, self-regulation and mood. Eligible candidates are invited to apply.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants who meet all of the following criteria are eligible to apply for this programme:
Must be aged 0-18 with moderate to severe disability or special needs;
Must demonstrate financial or other essential need (e.g., severity of disability or lack of therapeutic support);
Must commit to the full programme and agree to the YTSS Terms & Conditions to participate in the Scheme.
Please note that application does not guarantee placement. We announce placements for the scheme up to three times a year.
Intake Process
Under the scheme, all applications are reviewed by a panel committee and candidates selected for service based on need. YAMA will contact shortlisted candidates by email to confirm the placement.
To confirm placement, shortlisted candidates must complete the following registration process within seven (7) calendar days of notification:
Complete the online registration form, consenting to the YTSS Terms & Conditions.
Pay the programme deposit of HK$2500.
Book a Baseline Assessment Appointment
Once the above registration steps are complete, YAMA will match the participant with a studio venue and teacher. The assigned teacher will then be in touch with the Participant to schedule classes.
Participants must commit to attending all ten (10) yoga therapy sessions as scheduled. All sessions must be completed within the specified programme term (generally 12 weeks). Please refer to the YTSS Terms & Conditions regarding rescheduling of classes.
Upon completion of all therapy sessions, Participants will undergo a Final Assessment conducted by YAMA’s research partner.
Once all conditions have been fulfilled, the Participant is entitled to a full deposit refund.
Terms & Conditions
Hersha adjusts a student during a group class.
Hersha helps a student with a stretch during a group class.
Free Online Classes for All
Live Online Yoga Classes
We offer 60min live online yoga classes weekly to the community. Suitable for a wide range of bodies and abilities, these classes will leave you feeling good in body, mind and spirit.
Online class offerings
Offered in English and Cantonese.
Free of charge
-
Chair Yoga is a modified form of yoga that is practiced while seated on a chair or using a chair for support. It is designed to make yoga accessible to individuals who may have difficulty getting down to or up from the floor, or who require additional support and stability during their practice, and great for all abilities.
Our gentle and modified poses focus on building strength, flexibility, and balance while emphasising body and breath awareness. Our experienced teachers ensures a safe and enjoyable experience tailored to diverse needs. Experience the transformative benefits of chair yoga from the comfort of your own home. -
Join our inclusive online yoga class designed to welcome and accommodate individuals of all abilities, including beginners, people with limited mobility and even those with limited space.
Whether you're new to yoga or have physical limitations, our class provides a nurturing space for you to explore movement, to stretch and find relaxation.
Recorded Online Classes
YAMA Foundation has produced a number of online courses and classes in both Cantonese & English for people seeking to practice at home. These available for free on our Youtube Channel.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay up to date with new content releases.
Expressive Arts Therapy
YAMA promotes personal and social development through group expressive arts therapy aimed at:
Providing avenues of self-expression, self-empowerment and communication;
Using creativity and music or movement to develop mindfulness and emotional resilience;
Alleviating mental/emotional stress, enhancing mood, and regulating energy; and
Improving overall sense of physical and mental wellbeing.
YAMA offers inclusive and specialised expressive arts therapy and classes through our network of partner NGOs and schools. We currently offer the following programmes:
Group Expressive Arts for Children & Youth — Music & Movement
Group Expressive Arts Therapy for Children & Youth — Creative Art
Family Art Therapy Workshop Series
Parent & Carer Workshops
To join a class or set up a programme in your community, please contact us, and our team will be in touch.
The aim of therapy is not to sustain the intervention, but rather to impart skills which enable recipients to progress in their lives. YAMA’s interventions invest in participants’ long-term quality of life. Our expressive arts group therapy services have been well-received, and demand for services remains consistently high, by far outstripping supply.
As YAMA exists to make wellbeing accessible, we deliver targeted, structured interventions that yield cost-effective, sustainable, longer-term solutions, rather than one-off, general interest events. We invest in researching our outcomes and impacts. Our long-term aim is to facilitate the integration of yoga and expressive arts therapies into public health, social services, and educational settings.
View our past programmes here
Generously Supported by
Here To Be
Yoga & Mindfulness for Teens Mental Health
Here To Be is a yoga and mindfulness program, targeted at supporting teens as they transition to independence and navigate through intense life pressures with school, friends, family and society.
With seed investment from lululemon, the programme was initially developed in partnership with OCD Anxiety Support Hong Kong, clinical psychologist Dr. Edwin Yau, and yoga therapist Hersha Chellaram, and focuses on sharing tools to enhance physical, emotional and mental wellbeing, and empowers teens to face personal challenges and self-limiting beliefs, and express themselves in a non-judgemental space.
For Teens Only
FOR SCHOOLS/SERVICE ORGANISATIONS
supported by:
Accessible Wellbeing Conference 2024
The Accessible Wellbeing Conference is organised every two years by YAMA Foundation to bring together Hong Kong’s forerunners in accessibility and wellbeing.
Designed for the whole family and all generations to enjoy, the conference features panel discussions, inclusive activities and community resources, all geared towards people with disabilities and special needs, and their families and caregivers.
The program includes: chair yoga, dance for all, inclusive fitness, mindful colouring, sound healing and a ZENsory zone. Panel discussions unpack topics such as “Building Resilience and Fortitude” and “Innovative Ways to Manage Wellbeing” with notable speakers including Rock Climbing Champion Lai Chi Wai, Entrepreneur and Athlete Ajmal Samuel, and award-winning Public Health Expert Dr Czarina Leung.
Our Purpose:
To provide a one-stop-shop of accessibility resources for people with disabilities and special needs (PWD/SEN) and their families.
To provide a platform for accessibility service providers to share expertise and best practices.
To spread awareness about accessibility in our society among the wider public.
Who Should Attend:
PWD/SEN, people with limited mobility, seniors, and their families, carers, and friends.
Services providers for PWD/SEN and elderly communities
NGOs, healthcare and educational institutions, therapists, and wellbeing professionals
The general public
Accessibility Awareness Workshops
Diversity, Inclusion & Equity Training for Corporates, Schools and Organisations
YAMA Foundation works to promote accessibility awareness by conducting educational workshops in the community. Our hallmark Accessibility Awareness Workshop is a 90min interactive session that informs participants about the prevalence of special needs in our society and the social issues around ableism, body positivity and equality.
The workshop outline:
Introduction to YAMA Foundation: Building Accessible Communities
Breakout Session 1: Discussing Disability Barriers & Biases
Exploring Inclusive Language
Breakout Session 2: Reflecting on language choices
Adaptive Movement Experience
Group Reflection & Mindful Closing
Caregiver & Teacher Trainings
In partnership with Hersha Yoga, YAMA Foundation runs several professional trainings each year. These trainings are geared towards caregivers and wellbeing professionals who want to develop skills to work with vulnerable populations and people with special needs. Safeguarding Communities is a pre-requisite for any teacher looking to work with YAMA Foundation. You may also be interested in: the Adaptive Yoga Therapy course.
YAMA Foundation sCHOLARSHIPS
YAMA Foundation is pleased to offer scholarships for yoga teacher training and continuing professional development programmes. Scholarships are awarded to dedicated individuals with strong passion and intention to serve communities in need, supporting YAMA Foundation’s growth. Please read more information below before filling up the application form.
-
Scholarships cover a portion of tuition, course manuals and administrative fees. Transportation, accommodation, meals or personal daily expenses are not included. The scholarships are on an application basis, and will be considered by a panel. Applicants must be willing to complete the following commitments in order to receive the scholarship funds.
-
Ideal candidates will:
already have a regular yoga practice;
be ready to take the next step into teaching;
be reasonably proficient in English as all training programmes will be delivered in English only; and
have existing work experience in community service, working with people who have different abilities, social service, or other humanitarian causes.
-
Completion of all requirements for YAMA Teacher Associate Induction.
Commitment to working for YAMA Foundation for a minimum of 6 months after the completion of the induction process.
Contribution of a personal reflection in the form of a written article, for YAMA Foundation’s use in grant reporting and marketing communications. The article should describe aspects of the candidate’s journey that were transformation, and also outline how the candidate intends to use the new knowledge and skills to serve communities in-need.
If you qualify for all the above requirements, please prepare one reference letter and fill up the application at the button below.
Community Outreach
for Accessible Wellbeing
YAMA makes wellbeing accessible by delivering our programmes in partnership with a wide network of community NGOs and other service organisations. We work with our community partners to tailor our yoga and expressive arts programme to best fit the needs for the beneficiary group. Classes include:
Yoga for children with special needs
Chair / wheelchair yoga
Yoga for parents & caregivers
Yoga for the elderly
Family yoga
Yoga in prisons
Yoga for people living on the streets
Yoga for anxiety and depression
Yoga for children with rare diseases, cancer, chronic illness
If your service organisation would like to inquire about our programmes, please fill up the form below.
Our Community Partners
