Ourmala

We provide space to breathe and heal through yoga for people seeking international protection in the

07/02/2024

OURMALA HAS CLOSED 💚

As we entered the 2021/22 financial year, the aftershock of the COVID-19 pandemic was still ever present and our ability to deliver services to our beneficiaries continued to be challenging.

To minimise costs OURMALA continued to operate as a primarily volunteer run charity and, with the support of (Community Interest Company), was still able to deliver beneficiary yoga.

In the last two years, OURMALA has revised its strategy to reduce spending in line with its projected income, rethinking and streamlining its delivery model.

Following the pandemic, the outlook for achieving sustainable income for OURMALA remains highly uncertain. Given this situation, the Board of Trustees have taken the difficult decision to close OURMALA.

For 12 years, OURMALA has sought to preserve and protect the physical and mental health of, and relieve the needs of, refugees and asylum seekers, through the provision of access to yoga, activities for social integration and other services. At this time, this kindness is needed more than ever in the world we all live in and we are sorry that we will no longer be able to do this directly.

The decision to close OURMALA has not been taken lightly. The Board of Trustees would like to express its deep feelings of thanks to all our supporters & everyone involved in OURMALA’s work since it was founded in 2011 by Emily Brett.

09/05/2023

Introduction to Teaching Trauma Informed Yoga to Diverse Communities • 21 /22 May Online

Link to Book in Bio 👆
BIPOC / Marginalised / Refugee community SCHOLARSHIPS available 💚

Fierce Calm manages the refugee & asylum seeker yoga program, & we have co-created this yoga teacher training for anyone interested in teaching evidence-based yoga that is sensitive to trauma, gender & cultural difference to their community. SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE 💚

With OURMALA we have over 12 years experience in working with the UK asylum system & refugee community, and all of what you will learn on this training is transferable to help you teach and serve other community yoga projects & marginalised & vulnerable populations

This training is in line with the latest international best practice for working with people who have experienced trauma, & is suitable for teachers seeking to serve a more diverse population. This training is led by Claire Collison, with significant knowledge & international experience working with diverse & vulnerable groups. It also includes lectures delivered by the Dr Stephanie Minchin from on the science of yoga, therapy & trauma, and on The Ethics of Teaching.

Topics Covered:

• An overview of trauma informed, inclusive, accessible yoga & how to adapt your teaching to diverse &/or vulnerable populations

•Ethical considerations teaching yoga to vulnerable groups

•Boundaries, empathy & sensitivity

•The science behind yoga in relation to working with vulnerable populations

•Yoga philosophy & cultural sensitivity

•Exploration of case studies for challenging situations in the yoga studio

SCHOLARSHIPS
We are offering a number of full scholarship places to teachers of a minority ethnic or marginalised identity background. Email me lee@fierce-calm.com to apply

Address

1a Goldsmiths Row
London
E28QA

Telephone

+447377960539

Website

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/displayCharityCampaignPage.action?campaignId=12531&charityId=101182

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Our Story

OURMALA was founded in 2011 by a Yoga teacher called Emily Brett at Hackney City Farm in East London.

Emily had been teaching Yoga to vulnerable refugee and asylum-seeking women at the British Red Cross’ Destitution Centre in Dalston, all of whom had experienced gender based violence, were at risk of destitution and were either pregnant or had children. With small funding from Big Lottery, Emily offered the often malnourished women Yoga and a hot lunch. The British Wheel of Yoga seed-funded a 12 month pilot called Hackney Yoga Project, covering the costs of travel refunds, without which the women would not have been able to get to class. By the end of the pilot, women were coming to class, referred by organisations including the British Red Cross, Freedom from Torture and Refugee Council. An English class was also added after lunch to help the women with their language skills.

Since then, OURMALA has helped over 200 women, has won funding from Big Lottery, lululemon athletica, NHS, the British Wheel of Yoga, Inchrye Trust and Vodafone World of Difference and Oak Foundation. We have relationships with over 20 organisations that refer service users to our classes and we have waiting lists.

We are proud to now serve refugee children, young people and men also.

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