Volunteering – Doula School Canada

Using Doula Care as Community Aid: The Giving Equation

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1684151324317{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]As I’ve been going through our Truth and Reconciliation Action Plan, I’ve been continuously thinking about doula care and community aid, and how we can continue to decolonize our practices. As doula care becomes more “trendy” in current society, as it continues to dominate mostly higher-class spaces, how do we reflect on the roots of doula care, and stay true to community work? Of course, as doulas we do not feed ourselves and pay the bills off of warm and fuzzy feelings, but I think it is realistic to say most of us enter the field with a certain amount of passion and drive to create change in our communities. Whether that be being inspired by our own birth experience, or noticing how much of a difference our own doula made, most of us come to doula care for a deep reason.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1684151342874{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]However you identify, birth work has the ability to bring folks together. The birth and the postpartum periods are intimate and vulnerable. Individuals from marginalized communities may wish to hire someone with the same identity or lived experience as them. As someone from a certain background you may possess a set of skills, knowledge or spiritual/cultural teachings that someone from an outside identity may not. For example, a Muslim family may choose to hire a Muslim doula who may better understand their traditional customs and practices surrounding birth. An Indigenous family may choose an Indigenous doula who understands and celebrates their practices and understands the risk of violence within the medical system.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1684151427232{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]

Below are some tips on using your practice and voice as a doula to help your community:

Marry your interests

An easy equation for finding what population you want to serve is this: identifier + lived experience + passions and skills.

Between your lived experiences and passions/interests and skill, lays your intended community. For example, as an Indigenous mental health practitioner who grew up low-income, I chose to narrow my focus on low-income families and trauma survivors. Think about the spaces you frequent, the groups you are a part of, your professional training and hobbies.

Identifier: Indigenous, Queer

Lived experience: Poverty

Skill: Social work background

Passion: Trauma

_______________________________

Target communities:

Indigenous families

Queer Families

Low Income Families

Trauma Survivors

2. What can you afford to give?

Whether that is your time, or money, or expertise. Some doulas choose to dedicate acouple of births per year pro-bono or sliding scale. Perhaps, you decide to attend protests and events as a community member that are relevant to your population. You may have resources you don’t mind sharing.or books to loan out. Be creative!

3. Advocacy

What issues are impacting your community? How can you use your voice in a way that helps others? Perhaps you can assist in social movements regarding reproductive health.How do you use your social media. What current issues are really important to you?

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These are just a few of the ways that you can take your profession, and use it for social change. What other ways can you make waves?

Here are some exploratory journal prompts for you:

Why did I choose to become a doula?
What social issues am I passionate about?
What can I afford to give?

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1684154527320{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]-Kayt Ward, EDI Co-lead, BSW[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Ecuador Doula Immersion 2019

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1563461638717{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]It’s here!

A group of doulas, including a number from Doula Training Canada, have started the journey to Ecuador to volunteer and learn as doulas.

A few of our members joined Group One with Wombs of the World and we cannot wait to hear more about their adventures, while others will be embarking for their Group Two experience tomorrow. Learning and adventure and support await!

Shaunacy, our life-long learning Director, will be joining Group Two and has posted the “must-have’s” of packing for a two week doula immersion program.

Follow along over the course of the next few weeks as we post pictures, experiences, and all our Ecuadorian learning fun!

[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1563461705782{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Suggestions for packing for a two week doula volunteer trip:

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Super comfortable shoes. You will be doing a lot of walking during clinic hours and your time exploring the country you are volunteering in. Comfortable shoes = packing item numero uno!
Journal and pen. You are certainly going to want to take some time to write down your experiences. It’s a great way to unwind at the end of a busy day and carve out some time for yourself.
Cards with birth/ doula related sayings in the native tongue of the country you are visiting. This will help you feel more confident in approaching persons who may not speak the same language as you. It is also respectful to try to speak their language first and can really open up body-to-body trust when speaking isn’t the primary form of doula support. Having these in Tanzania helped me huge when trying to remember Swahili.
Snacks. I often bring cliff bars and my favourite herbal teas. If you are a picky eater, or want to eat often, then having a quick “grab and go” snack in your bag is a great idea.
A bag big enough for awesome things. When you travel abroad you often have some exploring days that bring you to artisan markets. Having the space to grab up a few amazing items for home is a good idea. Or plan to bring old clothes and leave them there to create space!
A doula name badge. Many immersion programs (like our amazing friends at Wombs of the World) request that you wear a name tag that says DOULA on it during clinic days. Have fun and create something with your picture, name and DOULA on it. You may also want to add some of those doula sayings mentioned above onto a lanyard with this badge.
Photocopies of your passport, travel documents, and locations you will be staying. This will help you feel prepared and safe for anything that may pop up (good travel tip in general!).
Lastly… an open mind! Packing and preparing for two weeks away can feel overwhelming when you are heading to a country that you haven’t visited before, and maybe working in environments you are not fully aware of. Keeping an open mind and remembering that you are there to learn not save is super important. The opportunities that volunteer immersion programs provide are long-lasting and profound. Going with an open mind, a lust to learn, and a heart full of compassion is what should fill most of your packing time!

[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1563462371907{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Interested in learning more about volunteer support as a doula?

Check out Wombs of the World (a great example of a professionally organized option) and feel free to email info@doulatraining.ca at any time with questions![/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row]