About Us — Yoga Education in Schools Charitable Trust

Hi, we are Rosalind and Andrew, the founders of Y.E.S. Charitable Trust.

It began in 2021 with an idea of how to support young people to enjoy their lives through sharing the wisdom practices of real yoga.

We initiated a yoga in schools program so that teens can leave school with everything they need to feel good in their body, mind, and relationships.

Our Story and Teachers

Rosalind and I met at Victoria University in 2013.

We were both bright students and soon finished with a first-class masters in English literature. Our schooling had equipped us with everything we needed to be academically successful and start our careers.

Yet, although outwardly successful, we shared with one another that our internal lives were in fact in disarray: somehow, anxiety and dislocation had taken over. We were consumed by anxious overthinking and we felt separate from Nature. At the end of my degree, I remember thinking, “I can barely get through a day without my thoughts turning against me, how am I supposed to live my entire life!”

We realised that our schooling had been brilliant in honing certain aspects of our being; mainly the conceptual, left-brain of abstract thought. But other parts had received less attention: our hearts, passions, emotions, and spirit (wairua). So we began to search for wisdom practices that could nourish our entire being.

The breakthrough came when Rosalind discovered traditional breath-centred yoga in the tradition of TKV Desikachar and his father T. Krishnamacharya.

By linking body movement with deep breathing we found that our minds became clear and calm; our emotions were easier to receive and digest; relationships improved; and we felt more confident in the world. More, as Rosalind lay there after practice, a recognition began to grow that she was part of things, a piece of mother nature just like the grass and the trees, belonging here as much as anything else—all of this through a simple yet profound breathing practice.

We knew we had found something that we wanted to share.

What is the vision? That every teenager in Aotearoa leaves school with their own simple, daily Yoga practice as the foundation of a balanced and happy life. We know that our young people are in desperate need of support these days.

Thank you for being part of this movement.

Andrew Raba and Rosalind Atkinson,

Founders of Y.E.S. Charitable Trust

Meet Our Board

Andrew Raba

BOARD MEMBER & CHAIR
Andrew is a long-term student, yoga teacher and author within the Heart of Yoga (RYT-200).
After completing his 200-hour qualification in 2018, he undertook a one year ashram residency in Fiji to deepen his practice and teaching.
He holds an MA in English literature, a background in libraries, and is a literacy advocate within New Zealand schools.
A published author, Andrew has written extensively on the subject of yoga and meditation for many platforms, including Embodied Philosophy and Tarka Journal.
Rosalind Atkinson

BOARD MEMBER & TREASURER
Rosalind is a yoga teacher & writer who is passionate about sharing authentic breath-centred yoga with teens, especially young women.
Previously Rosalind was a volunteer, cadet and then mate on the youth development tall ship, “Spirit of New Zealand,” where she fell in love with working with young people from diverse backgrounds. She volunteered with youth climate change group Generation Zero for several years including as lead designer for the 100% Possible tour, supported by the Tindall Foundation.
She has also worked as an energy campaigner for Greenpeace NZ, deckhand on the Rainbow Warrior III, a children’s piano teacher, and as Editor of the National Council of Women of NZ’s magazine.
Her activism now takes the form of helping people connect with their breath, feeling their inherent connection to nature and other people. Rosalind holds a BDes (Hons) from Massey University, an MA in Literature from Victoria University, and an ILM Skipper’s Ticket from NMIT, Nelson.
George Gustafsson

BOARD MEMBER & SECRETARY
George Gustafsson is a Yoga Teacher, who began his studies in Yoga as a teenager still in high-school, introduced to Yoga by his practitioner mum Steph. George saw the power that breath-centred yoga practice brings to the mind.
He was inspired to bring these practices to other young people in New Zealand so they can best navigate a changing and uncertain world.
George has been a volunteer yoga teacher in Indonesia, Morocco, Fiji and Cambodia. When back in Aotearoa he enjoys offering classes at his old high school, Takapuna Grammar.
At 23, George is the youngest board member and reflects our commitment to being a youth-led organisation.
Minami Takashima

BOARD MEMBER
Originally from Sapporo, Japan, Minami spent her early working life inside the cut-throat and patriarchal world of advertising in Japan, which pushed her mental health to breaking point. She realised that she didn’t want to just be a cog within the corporate hierarchy.
In 2018, she discovered breath-centred Yoga, which gave her a direct way to reclaim her autonomy and mental health. In the same year she moved to Nelson, New Zealand with her Kiwi husband, Rey.
Minami completed her 200-hr teacher training in Uttar Pradesh, India, along with Advanced Teacher Training in Bali.
Minami loves working one-on-one in a personal, traditional way, so she can serve others to discover their inner power. Along with Yoga she shares with her students sustainable cooking, art and life coaching.