Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Whether your clients can claim Pilates on their Private Health insurance will depend on a number of factors:

1. Are you a Full Member of the PAA?
   The Health Funds affiliated with the PAA ask that Instructors hold a minimum qualification of Diploma. Therefore only Full members (Graduate Level 1 through to Principal Trainer) are eligible to be recognised. Reports are sent once a month and your membership must be fully compliant to be included on the reports.
2. Does the Health Fund that they pay into offer rebates for Pilates?
   The funds affiliated with the PAA that offer Pilates rebates are listed on our Health Fund page. Other funds offering rebates, but only if the practitioner is a registered Physiotherapist or Exercise Physiologist who has access to HICAPS. If your client’s Health Fund is not listed on our website please ask them to confirm with the fund that they may receive rebates for Pilates from a non-registered Health Practitioner, and we will investigate further for you.
3. Does your client have the correct cover to be entitled to claim Pilates classes?
   This is something your client will have to check with their Health Fund directly. Generally Pilates is only included in higher levels of cover within their extras.
4. Does their Health Fund require referral by a recognised Health Practitioner?
   Many Health Funds require that, to receive a rebate, Pilates is part of an organised health management plan, i.e. not just for exercise or recreation. These funds require that a form is completed by a registered Health Practitioner (Doctor, Physio, etc.) before classes commence.

Health Funds are all individual business and so their working practices can vary from one to another. If you have a question not covered by this explanation please email support@pilates.org.au with the name of the fund and your question.

A CPR certificate is NOT a requirement for PAA membership.

However, you must hold a current Provide First Aid certificate and upload this to your membership file. It must be renewed every three years.

For Full and Mat membership you are required to possess Professional Indemnity and Public Liability Insurance.

Your policy and the document you upload for approval must state the following:

• Your name as it is shown on your membership
• The dates of cover
• That you are specifically covered for Pilates
• Minimum professional indemnity cover of $2,000,000 per claim

For Mat, Graduate Level 1 and all Full memberships you are required to hold a certificate in Provide First Aid, a nationally recognised, comprehensive first aid course.

Evidence of this must be recorded on your membership profile in the form of a current certificate (valid for 3 years).

Full members and Mat members are required to show evidence of approved professional development in the form of PDPs. The total will be required every second year at your membership renewal.

Members are required to accrue the following number of PDPs over each two-year period:

• Full members – 20 points
• Matwork members – 15 points
• Students/Associate members – not required

Evidence of a minimum of 5 points PDP accrual is required each year with your membership renewal. This ensures that continuing education is spread evenly throughout the two-year membership period and currency of knowledge is maintained.

50% or more PDPs must be accrued from Pilates specific courses, which focus on Pilates content, skills and competencies.

50% or more PDPs must be accrued from face to face courses.

Professional development workshops or courses must reflect learning that is of a higher standard than industry entry-level certification.

Check the following links for more information:

Professional development information

PDP accrual table

PAA approved workshop listings

Note: you do not need to upload any documents that are already on file and up to date.

In order to process your renewal swiftly you will need to have copies of the following on file:

Associate General:

• No additional documents required

Student:

• Cannot renew: at the end of your student membership you should upgrade to Graduate Level 1. Please email with reasons for renewing rather than upgrading

Graduate level 1:

• Cannot renew: Graduate Level 1 is only available for one year after qualifying then you must upgrade to Level 1

Mat:

• Provide First Aid
• Professional Indemnity & Public Liability Insurance (min. $2,000,000 per claim)
• outstanding PDP certificates – to total 15 points over 2 year period, min 5 per year

Level 1 and above:

• Provide First Aid
• Professional Indemnity & Public Liability Insurance (min. $2,000,000 per claim)
• outstanding PDP certificates – to total 20 points over 2 year period, min 5 per year

The PAA offer several levels of membership based on qualifications and experience:

Associate Member – General

For persons with an interest in the Pilates Method and its application who have not completed recognised or comprehensive training according to other PAA membership categories e.g. Physical therapists, fitness leaders, clients, general public.

Associate Member – Student

For students who are actively completing a government recognised training course with a PAA recognised provider. On completion of their study PAA students are entitled to apply for Graduate Level 1 which is an exclusive discounted Level 1 membership.

Mat Member

For Pilates instructor who are qualified with a PAA recognised Mat qualification or historical equivalent, but not Diploma.

Full Member

For Pilates instructor who are qualified with a PAA recognised Diploma qualification or historical equivalent.

For more information on PAA membership requirements please visit: Membership Categories

The PAA has several categories of membership to recognise various levels of qualification or experience.  These are:

• Student membership – for students completing a government recognised training course with a PAA recognised provider
• Mat or Full membership – for qualified Pilates instructors who hold a PAA recognised qualification
• Associate General membership – for persons with an interest in the Pilates Method and its application, who have not completed recognised or comprehensive training according to other PAA membership categories e.g. Physical therapists, fitness leaders, clients, general public

For more information on joining the PAA and the requirements of each membership category please visit: Membership Categories

The PAA Strategic Plan is a progressive and exciting 5 year plan to lead the PAA forward.

The mission of the PAA is to advance the interests of the Pilates industry and its practitioners, and promote the discipline to the public and other health professionals. The Strategic Direction outlines these key initiatives to realise the PAA mission

• Set and regulate professional standards
• Promote the Pilates Method and its practitioners
• Support learning and research
• Provide services to members
• Promote the interests of the PAA
• Best practice governance

Please view the full document here: Strategic Plan

Committee meetings occur at approximately 3 monthly intervals, with additional meetings during a Conference year.

You may nominate for a place on the Committee when one becomes available. There are also opportunities to join one of the PAA sub committees.

Sub committees are formed to manage on going areas of the organisation such as Education or Research, as well as for specific projects such as the biennial PAA Conference. There is a list of the various PAA subcommittees and their members here: PAA Subcommittees

The constitution or ‘rules’ of a not-for-profit such as the PAA are a roadmap for running the organisation.  It is also a legal requirement that an organisation and its members follow the rules of the organisation.

The PAA Constitution can be found here: PAA Constitution

All financial members of the PAA are eligible to attend the AGM.

Carolyn Antony, Member Relations Officer

Membership and general enquiries:

Office Hours: 2.30pm – 6.30pm (Mon – Fri)

Email: info@pilates.org.au

Phone: 02 4024 2632

Kerry Haywood, System Support Officer

Technical support, health fund enquiries, accounts, advertising:

Office Hours: 9am – 2.30pm

Email: support@pilates.org.au

Phone: 0412 581137

A full list of the PAA Committee members and their biographies can be found here: Committee Members

In the first instance please address enquiries to the one of the following:

Membership and general enquiries:

Carolyn Antony, Member Relations Officer

Office Hours: 2.30pm – 6.30pm (Mon – Fri)

Email: infopilates.org.au

Phone: 02 9969 3150

Technical support, health fund enquiries, accounting, advertising:

Kerry Haywood, System Support Officer

Office Hours: 9am – 2.30pm

Email: support@pilates.org.au

Phone: 0412 581137

The date of the next Annual General Meeting, and all other Committee Meetings, can be found here: Committee meeting dates

When a position arises on the Committee, eligible candidates are selected by nomination and elections take place to decide the new committee member.

Elections normally take place at the Annual General Meeting of the PAA and all financial (paying) members are eligible to vote.

The PAA is managed by a committee of elected volunteers who are chosen from existing PAA members.

When a position arises eligible PAA members may be nominated and elections are held to choose a candidate for the new position. This normally occurs at the AGM.

The standard term of office is 3 years, with a maximum tenure of 3 consecutive terms.

There is more information about the current committee here: PAA Committee

PAA Mission Statement

To advance the interests of the Pilates industry, and promote the discipline to the general public and other allied health professionals.

PAA Aims

• to promote understanding and regulation of quality instruction within studios and Pilates training programs
• to encourage relevant knowledge, skills and application for clients or students of the Pilates Method
• to create an industry based on competency and the flow of legitimate, informed and non-biased information
• to set professional standards and maintain the integrity of Pilates Method instruction, education and information
• to maintain industry authenticity through certification programs that trace directly back to Joseph Pilates’ instruction, whilst also acknowledging modern scientific understanding of body movementn
• to support and inform the general public in the safe and inspiring implementation of the Pilates Method
• to be a proactive body within Australian allied health industries
• to promote professional Pilates practitioners, their education and contribution to the Australian health and wellbeing industry
• to progress the profession of Pilates, its workplace standards and career paths.

The Pilates Alliance Australasia (PAA) is an independent and not-for-profit organisation established by the Pilates industry as a regulatory body for control of quality instruction, member support and integrity within all legitimate approaches to the Pilates Method.

Read more:

About the PAA: Mission, aims and objectives

The PAA Committee

Strategic Plan

Information about Pilates Instructor pay rates can be found in the members area of the PAA website and is available to PAA members only. The information is aligned with the Fitness Award 2010 which is the award that Pilates sits under, according to Fairwork.gov.au.

Fitness Industry Award 2010

To view the document you will need to log in to your PAA membership, go to Resources and then look in the Documents Library for ‘Recommendations for Rates and Engagement of Pilates Method Instructors’.

Yes, the majority of the workshops listed in our Approved Workshop section are open to the general public. They have simply been submitted for our assessment process which means our members can accrue points by attending.

There may be one or two that are aimed at specific groups​​ or have special entry requirements. If anything listed interests you, please contact the organiser to find more details.

Hint: the last column in the workshop list tables is a link to the organiser’s website.​​

In recognition that remote and regional members may find it more difficult to attend approved face to face workshops, additional points may be accrued from approved online workshops and Pilates sessions with PAA Education Body faculty members or PAA Principal members.

Check the PDP accrual table for details.

If you live in one of the following states you are considered a remote member:

• NT
• WA
• ACT
• SA

If you are not classed as remote, but live over 100km from the following cities then you are a regional member:

• Brisbane
• Sydney
• Melbourne

We suggest calling St John’s Ambulance who can recommend the type of first aid equipment and signage your studio needs and can also provide ongoing first aid products to keep your kits up-to-date.

St John’s: 1300 360 455

St John’s Ambulance

First log in to your membership and check whether you need to update, or add, any documents with this renewal (Provide First Aid, Professional Indemnity & Public Liability Insurance, PDP certificates).

Note: you do not need to upload any documents that are already on file and up to date.

• Use the menu to the left of the member log in and choose ‘Apply Now’ (see diagram)
• Then select ‘Renew Membership’

First log in to your membership: member login

Then use the menu at the top left (see diagram) and choose Upload Documents.

Use the browse button to search your device for the file you wish to upload and select it, then press upload. If it has uploaded correctly it will appear in the document list on your file.

If you need a screenshot to send to support the following instructions might help:

Mac:

Keyboard Press Command-Shift-3 (This saves the screen to a file on your desktop)

Windows:

Keyboard Press Ctrl-PrtScn (This saves the screenshot to Memory)

Apple device

• press and hold the Sleep/Wake button on the top or side of your device.
• immediately press and release the Home button.
• to find your screenshot, go to the Photos app > Albums and tap Camera Roll.

Android device

• press the power button and volume-down button together
• hold for a few seconds until the screen flashes to signal the screengrab has been captured.
• it will be saved in a screenshots folder in the gallery.

If this doesn’t work and your phone has a ‘Home’ button try using the home and volume-down buttons.

Note: on some mobile devices the steps may vary due to manufacturer settings.