
Mindfulness Teacher
Training Course (MTTC)
Responsibilities of the MTTC
and of Mindfulness Teachers
Safeguards. Work Conditions and More
This is an important feature of MTTC and for Mindfulness Teachers.
We have listed here important guidelines to identify any risks of harm involving mindfulness in various environments.
MTTC trainees will receive further expansion of information below with regard to safeguards, work conditions and more.
During Module 2, Trainee Mindfulness Teachers will learn about ethics, mindful responses to situations, ways to maximise safety for everybody and steps to take with opportunity to ask questions.
These procedures include:
-
Duty of Care
-
Equality and Diversity
-
Areas of Concern
-
Working Environments
-
Working Conditions
-
Roles and Responsibilities of Organisations and Individuals
-
Risk Assessments and Support
-
General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)
-
Procedure to a Complaint
Duty of Care
As a Mindfulness Teacher, you have a duty of care for every person who you support.
This is a professional and legal requirement.
Your duties/responsibilities include the necessity to apply safeguards such as:
-
Responding to their needs and rights.
-
Protecting people from harm, abuse and injury.
-
Developing people’s wellbeing.
Wellbeing includes offering ways and means pointing towards peace of mind, happiness and mental health.
Your duty of care includes all teachers, managers, staff with whom you have contact.
It is vital that you possess the knowledge and skills to act on your duty of care in your role as a Mindfulness Teacher.
Application of ethics, such as non-harm, non-exploitation, and empathy for people attending or associated with your teachings, workshop and retreats, contribute to well-being of all.
Equality and Diversity
Everyone has equal opportunity to share their experience regardless of age, race or sex.
Diversity includes recognition of people of various faiths/religions/secular standpoints, ethnicities, disabilities, gender identity and more. Diversity recognises the value of differences.
Areas of Concern
-
Identify any areas of concern.
-
Address such areas as bullying, harassment or discrimination.
-
Report and document any challenging or threatening situations.
-
Report concerns in agreed ways, such as to the manager or senior teacher
As a Mindfulness Teacher, you may have an employer or work in a social environment. You will need to respond to any harmful situations and know who to turn to if you have any concerns.
In the case of the MTTC, you will contact in the first instance contact Nshorna Davis, MTTC manager/assistant teacher and senior teacher Christopher Titmuss.
Working Environment
Your concerns may include:
-
Poor working conditions
-
Unsafe working practices, such as neglect, ignoring safety guidelines and agreed ways of working.
-
Unsafe Equipment
-
Untrained workers such as untrained or inexperienced staff.
-
Suspected Abuse. Suspected abuse affects individuals rights for safety and protection from any kind of manipulative or harmful behaviour.
Working Conditions
-
Poor working conditions
-
Unsafe equipment.
-
Unsafe working practices
-
Untrained workers, e.g., inexperienced staff carrying out tasks without appropriate training and competence.
-
Suspected abuse, e.g., ignoring a person’s rights at the expense of their dignity.
-
If you are unsure of any situation, you should ask your manager for advice.
Roles and Responsibilities of Organisation and Individuals
A Code of Conduct for Mindfulness Teachers includes.
-
Respect and protect individuals’ rights.
-
Individuals have the right to be treated with respect.
-
You protect their legal rights.
-
You develop individuals’ independence.
-
Provide people with information to make an informed choice.
-
Respect confidentiality when participants share experiences.
Risk Assessments and Support
If the individual still wants to make a choice you think is risky, a risk assessment may be the best course of action. It will identify the hazards and help decide on ways to reduce the risks.
Also, highlighting the risks will support the individual in making those choices.
Your employer will provide you with guidance on:
It is important to recognise situations which require risk assessment, which may or may not lead to risk enablement.
-
Mental and physical health are primary considerations.
-
An individual’s wellbeing takes priority regardless of risk.
-
If you are unsure about anything, you contact your primary supervisor (senior teacher).
General Date Protection Regulations (GDPR)
GDPR provides a legal framework for keeping everyone's personal data safe. You must obtain consent from individuals to 'opt in’ rather than 'opt out.'
Procedure to a Complaint
-
You are required to support and respond to an individual who wants to make a complaint regarding their care.
-
Provide an environment where a person(s) can communicate openly and honestly.
-
Check with the person whether you can take notes.
-
Advise the person(s) on limits of confidentiality since information may need to pass onto another(s).
-
Take the complaint seriously free from reactivity or defensiveness.
-
Advise the person(s) what will happen next in the complaint's procedure.
-
Thank the individual.