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Work-Study: Financial Assistance for Becoming a Community Birth Doula

How The Program Works

If you have financial need, you may qualify for free or reduced cost training through our work-study program. The work-study program is designed to eliminate cost barriers to doula training. It is not a "free" training; rather, it serves as an opportunity for you to pay for your doula training by providing birth doula services for under-resourced clients assigned to you by BirthWell Partners. 

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You Provide:

  • Birth doula support to 2-3 BirthWell Partners clients

 

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Work

​We provide: 

  • All of the classroom requirements: Intro to Childbirth, Birth Doula Training, Lactation Course

  • Mentoring for completing DONA birth doula certification

  • 6 required doula coaching session with experienced doula

Study

It's a Win-Win! Participants receive classroom training, mentoring and hands-on experience with clients, while BirthWell's under-resourced clients get the support of a trained and compassionate doula.  

Please review the training timeline below. All listed dates are important and must be followed.

Please note that starting in 2025, all approved work-study participants will have to pay a $75, non-refundable administration fee. This fee signals your commitment to follow through with the program and covers associated costs including your background check.

  • Work Study is only available to Alabama residents. Number of people accepted will depend on current funding and priority areas. ​​​

  • If you are a Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS), please use this link to access a separate training application

Key Information About Work-Study

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Applicants for Work-Study Must:

  • Exhibit financial need

  • Be at least 21 years of age

  • Have reliable transportation

  • Have a valid driver's license

  • Carry automobile liability insurance

  • Pass a background check

  • We Look at a Range of Applicants:  We want to make doula training and DONA certification widely accessible. 

  • We Look at a Range of Financial Need:  We have full and partial work-study options. This approach allows us to spread our limited resources to more applicants.  

  • All Work-Study Program Participants Agree to Attend Births for BirthWell Partners: After training and orientation, participants agree to provide doula services (prenatal visits, labor support and postpartum visits) to 2-3 clients that we match them with (number of clients depends on whether it is a full or partial work study). Services provided in the state of AL.

  • All Work-Study Program Participants Document Services Provided: Doulas document services provided and de-identified client outcomes via data collection forms.

  • Work-Study Participants Receive Coaching and Mentoring: All participants are required to have 6 coaching sessions with Renee', an experienced doula and member of our staff.

  • Work-Study Participants are not prohibited from taking private clients while fulfilling the work-study commitment: In fact, we encourage establishment of a private doula practice as soon as one feels ready.

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