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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.

Work Study Timelines

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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