How We’re Battling Against Covid-19

by | 22/ Apr/ 2020 | Blog | 0 comments

We hope you are all keeping well and are in good spirits.

We appreciate that many of you may be experiencing various personal challenges during this difficult period. So we wanted to ensure we keep in touch and take some time to update you on what we are doing to battle against Covid-19.

Enhanced Rapha Listening Service

As you many of you are aware, it isn’t just the direct impact of the virus that we must fight against. Many can be experiencing extreme isolation, anxiousness, loss of loved ones and more. As a result, our mental health is being severely tested.

In response to this, we have enhanced our Rapha Listening service to ensure we remain available to those who need us most. We have advertised spaces for more volunteers who will receive online training from Acorns this month and we have become fully equipped to provide this service via telephone.

If you know anyone who would benefit from the service (including yourself), you can request a listener via the ‘our services’ tab or just click here.

Keeping Connected

We are doing our utmost to stay connected with current guidelines, the news and, most importantly, each other. Here’s just a few of the things we have been doing to stay connected:

  • Our staff are keeping up with current affairs to ensure we can advocate for the vulnerable and keep everyone informed with the latest information. Earlier this month, our Senior Doula, Jennie, joined an online meeting with guest speaker, Dame Sara Thornton – UK’s Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner. Important discussions were had and questions were raised regarding closed registry offices resulting in the inability to register recent births and the impact this is having on access to child benefits.
  • Our Senior Doula, Julia, hosted our first coffee morning via Zoom for our volunteers. It was a great success and we will continue the virtual coffee mornings throughout the lockdown period. Plans are also being made for a virtual edition of ‘Tea, Cake and Me’. We’ll keep you posted on when this will take place.
  • Our Doulas have continued to deliver baby baskets to our service users whilst maintaining a safe distance. This is especially vital for some of our expectant mothers who do not currently have the means to collect items themselves.

 

Thanks to our Funders

We have been incredibly fortunate to have been granted emergency funding from Tesco, the Heart of England Community Foundation and NHS Birmingham and Solihull CCG . The funding has allowed us to provide vital training from Acorns for our volunteers. We have also purchased mobile phones for our service users who would otherwise have little means to contact us and credit top ups for our volunteers and staff who would also struggle to continue the excellent work they do.

 

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As a Doula Champion, you might accompany expectant mothers to prenatal appointments, provide birthing support if needed, help new mums with newborn care and breastfeeding, and ensure they attend their 6-week postnatal checks. You become a trusted companion and advocate for mothers who might otherwise be alone or uncertain.

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You will receive accredited doula training from experienced professionals (led by an ex-NHS midwife) , covering birth coaching, maternal health, and safeguarding. By the end, you’ll be equipped with the skills and
confidence to support women one-on-one.

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This pathway is ideal if you are interested in maternity care or midwifery. It offers invaluable hands-on experience – from attending births (optionally) to postpartum support – giving you a taste of a career in maternal health. Many Doula Champions use this experience as a springboard into NHS roles, midwifery training, or paid doula work in the future.

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Key activities: You will provide one-to-one support through active listening sessions – this could be over the phone, via video call, or in person. You let people share their feelings, and you offer empathy and guidance towards further help if needed (such as suggesting community services). Often, just being there to listen can make a huge difference.

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Training provided: You will undergo intensive training in reflective listening and mental health first response. Our training (often delivered via Zoom over a series of sessions) will teach you how to handle sensitive conversations, maintain confidentiality, and know your boundaries . By completion, you’ll be a certified listening volunteer with skills applicable to counseling or psychology fields.

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Emphasize volunteer scope: Rapha Champions commit to at least an hour per week of listening support for a client after training , which can often be arranged flexibly. You might have regular weekly calls with a client for a period of time. There are also opportunities to facilitate group sessions or community support groups as you grow in experience.

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Benefits and career pathways: This pathway is perfect if you’re interested in mental health, counseling, or social work. The experience you gain – in communication, empathy, and understanding mental health – is highly relevant to careers in counseling, psychotherapy, mental health nursing, or community support roles. Rapha Champions have a pathway to progress into formal counseling courses or mental health roles in the NHS or voluntary sector.” (For example, mention “You could go on to become a paid listening service coordinator or pursue qualifications in therapy – the programme can open these doors.

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