Here we go...
Hey friends!
The Doula Project (formerly the Abortion Doula Project) is seeking smart, awesome, caring people to join our organization in New York City!
What is a Doula?
The word doula is an ancient Greek term that translates to “caregiver.” A doula provides emotional support, pain management and relaxation techniques, and information to her clients as needed.
Birth - A Birth Doula will provide all of the above throughout a client's labor and delivery, as well as the immediate post-partum period (about two hours after the baby has been born). Additionally, a birth doula will provide guidance in the creation of a birth plan with her client, and prenatal and post-partum visits. This requires an on-call period for your client of about three weeks.
Abortion- An Abortion Doula will provide all of the above to clients who are choosing to terminate the pregnancy. The doula will stay with the client throughout her procedure, as well as part of the recovery period, and will remain in touch with the client as she desires thereafter.
About The Doula Project:
The Doula Project is a pro-choice New York City-based organization that was started in 2008 to provide services to lower-income individuals across the spectrum of pregnancy. It was founded by pro-choice doulas and reproductive justice activists, two of whom currently serve as the Project Co-Coordinators. The Project is a volunteer led and run organization that trains and manages its own doula base. We currently have 3 programs that serve the greater NYC area:
1) To provide doula care to people facing abortion, miscarriage, and stillbirth (in partnership with Bellevue Hospital). You do not have to be a birth doula to serve as an abortion doula. We train our own volunteers on this component of care.
2) To provide doula care to people choosing adoption (in partnership with Spence Chapin Adoption Agency). Please be a trained birth doula to apply. We do not require a lot of experience, only a formal training with an established doula certifying program.
3) To provide doula care on a case by case basis to lower-income individuals who are not affiliated with either of our partner organizations. Please be a trained birth doula to apply. We do not require a lot of experience, only a formal training with an established doula certifying program.
We are recruiting doulas for all components of our mission, though priority is given to those who are interested in being both Birth and Abortion Doulas. While you are not required to serve as a doula for all components, you are expected to support the mission and values of the entire project and the work each individual doula engages in. We encourage you to apply for all components of our work!
**************************************************************************************************
Abortion Doulas:
We are looking for people interested in training as abortion doulas to work with clients in NYC clinics and hospitals. Doulas will be present and provide emotional support to clients before, during and after abortions. We are looking for people who can work at least 2 weekdays a month as well as complete 40 hours of training, provided by The Doula Project, in the summer of 2009. Trained birth doulas are particularly encouraged to apply, though we are excited to bring on reproductive health and justice activists who have no prior doula training.
Job description:
*Report to the assigned hospital/clinic each workday
*Meet with clients in the clinic/hospital before abortion and answer any
questions/concerns, help fill out paperwork, and provide pre-abortion
counseling
*Provide client with emotional support during abortion (includes 1st and
2nd trimester and lamanaria placements). Please note: This means you will be expected to be in the operating room with the client as needed.
*Provide clients with your number to call you anytime to talk after abortion.
*Meet with clients anytime if desired after abortion
Commitment:
*Commit to two 5- 8-hour weekdays per month
*Commit to meeting with the client outside of clinic setting after abortion, if desired
*Provide personal number to client as desired
*Attend monthly abortion doula meetings
*Attend 40 hours of training in the summer of 2009 (includes 20 hours classroom over the course of one weekend/20hours clinic over the course of three to four weekdays)
*At least one-year commitment to project
*When working in hospital settings, become hospital volunteer and go through volunteer training
*Abortion Doula trainings will be held July 11 and 12 in NYC. These are mandatory day-long trainings. There is no charge to attend them. Please inform us in your application if you will be unable to attend.*
Adoption and Birth Doulas:
We are looking for already trained birth doulas to work with birth moms who may be choosing adoption. You do not have to have a lot of experience as a doula and will work as part of a two-person doula team. A back-up doula will always be provided for every birth.
Job description:
*Provide non-judgemental prenatal and labor support for clients who are choosing an adoption plan
*Coordinate with your partner doula to ensure that at least one of you will be available at all times during your three-week on-call period.
*Meet with clients, at the Spence-Chapin office or at a mutually agreed-upon location, for a minimum of two pre-natal visits as desired by the client and as time allows
*Assist client in the creation of a birth plan
*Answer questions and provide resources per client's request
*Remain in constant contact with client before and during the on-call period, and after, as client desires
*Provide continuous support at the time of the client's labor and delivery
*Meet with clients for a minimum of one post-partum visit after the birth, as the client desires
Commitments:
*Participate in adoption training at Spence Chapin Adoption Agency (date TBA)
*Participate in a one-day Doula Project training to discuss protocol, expectations, and questions and comments the doulas may have
* Commit to one (1) birth every 6 weeks
* Commit to a minimum of two prenatal visits and two post-partum visits
*Commit to the three-week on-call period with your partner doula. At least one of you must be available at all times during the on-call period.
*Provide personal cell phone or pager number to clients
*At least one-year commitment to the project
*Adhere to Doula Project and Spence-Chapin policies and protocols.
*************************************************************************************************
How to apply:
People with experience in doula work, reproductive health, rights and justice
work, abortion counseling or health services are encouraged to apply. People
under 30, people of color, queer and trans people and Spanish speakers are strongly
desired. People with flexible/free weekdays are ideal. While we are willing to negotiate for the right person, priority will be given to those who can commit to at least two weekdays a month.
*Abortion doulas will serve in an unpaid volunteer capacity. Adoption doulas will receive small stipends through the adoption agency. We realize this is a big time commitment and will do everything possible to take care of our doulas and work within your schedules.*
If you are interested in working with us, we are accepting applications now
through June 15. Email application (below) to mary@doulaproject.org
or lauren@doulaproject.org
Application:
1)Name/Phone Number/Address:
2)Are you applying to be a birth doula, an abortion doula, or both?
3)Please give us a full picture of your schedule on a day-to-day basis.
4)Do you speak Spanish or any other languages besides English?
5)Please write a personal statement that responds to the following: What does the phrase “Spectrum of Choice” mean to you? How do you see this phrase as being relevant to being a doula?
6)Please submit a resume highlighting previous experience in the fields of reproductive justice, counseling, birth rights, birth doula work, etc. If you do not have specific experience in these fields, please do not hesitate to apply anyway!
The Doula Project (formerly the Abortion Doula Project) is seeking smart, awesome, caring people to join our organization in New York City!
What is a Doula?
The word doula is an ancient Greek term that translates to “caregiver.” A doula provides emotional support, pain management and relaxation techniques, and information to her clients as needed.
Birth - A Birth Doula will provide all of the above throughout a client's labor and delivery, as well as the immediate post-partum period (about two hours after the baby has been born). Additionally, a birth doula will provide guidance in the creation of a birth plan with her client, and prenatal and post-partum visits. This requires an on-call period for your client of about three weeks.
Abortion- An Abortion Doula will provide all of the above to clients who are choosing to terminate the pregnancy. The doula will stay with the client throughout her procedure, as well as part of the recovery period, and will remain in touch with the client as she desires thereafter.
About The Doula Project:
The Doula Project is a pro-choice New York City-based organization that was started in 2008 to provide services to lower-income individuals across the spectrum of pregnancy. It was founded by pro-choice doulas and reproductive justice activists, two of whom currently serve as the Project Co-Coordinators. The Project is a volunteer led and run organization that trains and manages its own doula base. We currently have 3 programs that serve the greater NYC area:
1) To provide doula care to people facing abortion, miscarriage, and stillbirth (in partnership with Bellevue Hospital). You do not have to be a birth doula to serve as an abortion doula. We train our own volunteers on this component of care.
2) To provide doula care to people choosing adoption (in partnership with Spence Chapin Adoption Agency). Please be a trained birth doula to apply. We do not require a lot of experience, only a formal training with an established doula certifying program.
3) To provide doula care on a case by case basis to lower-income individuals who are not affiliated with either of our partner organizations. Please be a trained birth doula to apply. We do not require a lot of experience, only a formal training with an established doula certifying program.
We are recruiting doulas for all components of our mission, though priority is given to those who are interested in being both Birth and Abortion Doulas. While you are not required to serve as a doula for all components, you are expected to support the mission and values of the entire project and the work each individual doula engages in. We encourage you to apply for all components of our work!
**************************************************************************************************
Abortion Doulas:
We are looking for people interested in training as abortion doulas to work with clients in NYC clinics and hospitals. Doulas will be present and provide emotional support to clients before, during and after abortions. We are looking for people who can work at least 2 weekdays a month as well as complete 40 hours of training, provided by The Doula Project, in the summer of 2009. Trained birth doulas are particularly encouraged to apply, though we are excited to bring on reproductive health and justice activists who have no prior doula training.
Job description:
*Report to the assigned hospital/clinic each workday
*Meet with clients in the clinic/hospital before abortion and answer any
questions/concerns, help fill out paperwork, and provide pre-abortion
counseling
*Provide client with emotional support during abortion (includes 1st and
2nd trimester and lamanaria placements). Please note: This means you will be expected to be in the operating room with the client as needed.
*Provide clients with your number to call you anytime to talk after abortion.
*Meet with clients anytime if desired after abortion
Commitment:
*Commit to two 5- 8-hour weekdays per month
*Commit to meeting with the client outside of clinic setting after abortion, if desired
*Provide personal number to client as desired
*Attend monthly abortion doula meetings
*Attend 40 hours of training in the summer of 2009 (includes 20 hours classroom over the course of one weekend/20hours clinic over the course of three to four weekdays)
*At least one-year commitment to project
*When working in hospital settings, become hospital volunteer and go through volunteer training
*Abortion Doula trainings will be held July 11 and 12 in NYC. These are mandatory day-long trainings. There is no charge to attend them. Please inform us in your application if you will be unable to attend.*
Adoption and Birth Doulas:
We are looking for already trained birth doulas to work with birth moms who may be choosing adoption. You do not have to have a lot of experience as a doula and will work as part of a two-person doula team. A back-up doula will always be provided for every birth.
Job description:
*Provide non-judgemental prenatal and labor support for clients who are choosing an adoption plan
*Coordinate with your partner doula to ensure that at least one of you will be available at all times during your three-week on-call period.
*Meet with clients, at the Spence-Chapin office or at a mutually agreed-upon location, for a minimum of two pre-natal visits as desired by the client and as time allows
*Assist client in the creation of a birth plan
*Answer questions and provide resources per client's request
*Remain in constant contact with client before and during the on-call period, and after, as client desires
*Provide continuous support at the time of the client's labor and delivery
*Meet with clients for a minimum of one post-partum visit after the birth, as the client desires
Commitments:
*Participate in adoption training at Spence Chapin Adoption Agency (date TBA)
*Participate in a one-day Doula Project training to discuss protocol, expectations, and questions and comments the doulas may have
* Commit to one (1) birth every 6 weeks
* Commit to a minimum of two prenatal visits and two post-partum visits
*Commit to the three-week on-call period with your partner doula. At least one of you must be available at all times during the on-call period.
*Provide personal cell phone or pager number to clients
*At least one-year commitment to the project
*Adhere to Doula Project and Spence-Chapin policies and protocols.
*************************************************************************************************
How to apply:
People with experience in doula work, reproductive health, rights and justice
work, abortion counseling or health services are encouraged to apply. People
under 30, people of color, queer and trans people and Spanish speakers are strongly
desired. People with flexible/free weekdays are ideal. While we are willing to negotiate for the right person, priority will be given to those who can commit to at least two weekdays a month.
*Abortion doulas will serve in an unpaid volunteer capacity. Adoption doulas will receive small stipends through the adoption agency. We realize this is a big time commitment and will do everything possible to take care of our doulas and work within your schedules.*
If you are interested in working with us, we are accepting applications now
through June 15. Email application (below) to mary@doulaproject.org
or lauren@doulaproject.org
Application:
1)Name/Phone Number/Address:
2)Are you applying to be a birth doula, an abortion doula, or both?
3)Please give us a full picture of your schedule on a day-to-day basis.
4)Do you speak Spanish or any other languages besides English?
5)Please write a personal statement that responds to the following: What does the phrase “Spectrum of Choice” mean to you? How do you see this phrase as being relevant to being a doula?
6)Please submit a resume highlighting previous experience in the fields of reproductive justice, counseling, birth rights, birth doula work, etc. If you do not have specific experience in these fields, please do not hesitate to apply anyway!