AmeriCorps Birth Doula

About This Role

This full-time volunteer position involves training as a birthing doula and providing education and assistance to clients throughout their pregnancy and birth experience. The role requires sensitivity, independence, and the ability to manage a demanding on-call schedule.

Responsibilities

• Participate in mandatory trainings, service projects, and team building activities throughout the 10-11 month full-time term of service
• Schedule appointments and navigate patients through health system barriers
• Initiate communication with patients, making supported referrals to address the full spectrum of patient needs
• Provide the mother with emotional, physical, moral, and educational support, especially when the father and other close relatives are unavailable
• Attend prenatal meetings to get to know each other and establish patient’s birth preferences and other requirements
• Remain with the mother throughout labor, providing physical and emotional support during childbirth and in the immediate postpartum
• Visit the home of the mother once she has been discharged and assist with the care of the baby while the mother heals
• Provide continuous doula services that meet the DONA International Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics to women during their births

Requirements

• Be at least 18 years of age at the commencement of service
• Have a high school diploma or GED or agree to obtain prior to using the education award; or under special circumstances obtain a waiver
• Be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident of the United States
• Ability to interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence
• Ability to communicate effectively with clients or employees of the organization
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including ability to compile, interpret, and utilize information
• Ability to communicate effectively with people of all backgrounds and educational levels
• Ability to work with minimal supervision, use good judgment, meet deadlines, and prioritize workloads
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Well organized and good attention to detail
• Ability to maintain professionalism and appropriate boundaries in all interactions
• Computer literate and good mathematical skills
• Ability to solve problems and reason deductively, but know when to seek help
• Bilingual English/Spanish required
• Reliable transportation required

Nice to have:

• Experience in Windows Office programs