Therapeutic Yoga Instructor

**About Western**:
Since 1878, Western University has been committed to serving our communities through the pursuit of academic excellence and by providing students, faculty, and community members with life-long opportunities for intellectual, social, and cultural growth. We seek excellent students, faculty, and staff to join us in what has become known as the "Western Experience" - an opportunity to contribute to a better world through the development of new knowledge, new abilities, new connections, and new ways to make a difference.

**About Us**:
The Faculty of Health Sciences ((FHS) is a large, diverse, and comprehensive unit, comprised of six Schools (Nursing, Kinesiology, Health Studies, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Communication Sciences and Disorders), a large Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and four Research Centres. The Faculty has more than 3,200 undergraduate students and more than 800 graduate students (200 PhD students).

The School of Physical Therapy develops and promotes excellence, leadership, and innovation in physical therapy research, education and clinical practice, with an immediate focus on harnessing and growing our strengths in musculoskeletal health.

**Goals**:

- Evidence-informed practice. We recognize the importance of research and knowledge translation in physical therapy, including the development and implementation of clinical and cost-effective strategies to enhance the mobility of Canadians.
- Leadership. We aspire to be leaders in our teaching, learning, research, and scholarship to a level of excellence and innovation that is recognized internationally. We have high standards for the recruitment and performance of our faculty, staff, and students in a competitive and ever-changing environment.
- Collaboration. We recognize that solutions to Canada’s most significant and complex health care challenges may be found where disciplines intersect. We promote and support interdisciplinary partnerships through building capacity for collaborative physical therapy research and teaching.
- Safety and Respect. We foster a safe and respectful learning and work environment in which all students, staff, and faculty can aspire to excellence and success. Our commitment to social responsibility includes a commitment to improving quality of life and life-long function through ethical and evidence-informed care.
- Resilience. We adapt to changes in health care, and research and learning environments with flexibility, transparency and openness. We prepare our students to be critical thinkers and problem solvers in their learning and practice.

**Responsibilities**:
We are seeking an experienced yoga teacher to deliver the yoga-based intervention. Classes will be taught in-person, at Parkwood hospital, twice weekly in 8-week intervals. Each class is 1 hour. More detailed responsibilities are as follows:
1. Instruct yoga classes as set out in the study protocol.

2. Perform demonstrations of all activities.

3. Assess and evaluate pain levels of participants.

4. Provide guidance and instruction to participants and recommend modified exercises.

5. Document any adverse responses and any changes from the protocol.

6. Complete all set up and take down of the equipment.

7. Document participant attendance.

8. Completion of the Pain Care Aware certificate

9. Available for practicum training April 10-12, 2024

**Minimum** **Qualifications**:
**Education**: Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 500) with Yoga Alliance. Completed 500-hour teacher training.

**Experience**: Minimum of 3 years relevant experience teaching therapeutic yoga classes.

**Knowledge, Skills, Abilities & Expertise**:

- Knowledge of the lived experience of osteoarthritis acquired through working with this population.
- Skill in guiding groups in self-care techniques including awareness, self-regulation, and discernment practices.
- Ability to teach yoga without the use of Sanskrit terms, without nocebic language, and following a specific class plan created by the project team.
- Ability to provide instructions with compassion and optimism and to guide modifications during a class with 10-11 people.
- Strong verbal communication skills

**Why Western?**:
**Background Checks**:
While transcripts are not required for the interview, they are mandatory prior to any offer of employment.

Consideration of applicants will include an assessment of previous performance, experience, and qualifications. Applicants should have oral communication skills in English.

**Western Values Diversity**:
**Please Note**:
We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.