Volunteer with the Doula Service

Volunteers play a critical role within the running of our Doula Service to provide much needed personal support to vulnerable pregnant women and new mums

 

About us

  • A highly experienced former NHS midwife leads our team
  • We are specialists in dealing with complex cases where a woman may be involved with statutory agencies such as social services.
  • NHS commissioned providers of health and care services for Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull
  • We build an impartial and highly trusted rapport with vulnerable service users
  • There are a range of opportunities on offer and what you do will be tailored to your interests and availability

You can find out more about our service by visiting our Doula Service page.

About you

Because we often support women who have experienced physical and emotional trauma, you must be compassionate and caring. You must also be open to working with women and their families from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Opportunities

Doulas – this is a more time intensive role where you will be prepared to support a woman throughout her pregnancy and be at the birth if needed. This role would suit someone who can commit themselves and be flexible, preparing to support at relatively short notice in some cases. You may be retired,  working part-time, unemployed, a student in your first year at university or those who may be interested in nursing or social work and want some experience before making a decision.

Drivers – pick up and deliver essential items and donations to new mums.

Befrienders – either over the phone or in person, you will be a friendly ear for service users, perhaps sign-posting to services, advocating on their behalf or attending appointments with them.

Mother and Baby group – our Mother and Baby group meets once a week and there is a lively online group to be involved with.

Translators – our client group is incredibly varied reflecting the population of Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull. If you speak a community language we’d like to hear from you. We’ve recently needed support for – Arabic, Albanian, Romanian, Farsi, Bengali, Urdu, Pushto, Kurdish and this is not an exhaustive list. Demand for your support will not be predictable so as with our Doula role, it would be helpful if you can be flexible in your approach and availability.

Volunteering and claiming Universal Credit

If you get Universal Credit, your volunteering can count to up to half the time you agree to spend looking for and preparing for work in your Claimant Commitment.

Tell the office that pays your benefits about any volunteering that you are planning to do before you start.  You will find more details at GOV.UK

Apply

To register your interest as a volunteer, please fill in the form below and a member of the team will contact you to talk to you about the role.

If you would like an informal chat about this opportunity, then please get in touch with Calis, our Volunteer Co-ordinator, on 0777 668 6855 or email calis@bethelnetwork.org.uk.  Calis is part-time and works Tuesday to Thursday.

 

The time I spent with the project was one of the most enjoyable and fulfilling times of my life. It was also a very humbling time – helping another woman during childbirth and the early days after they have given birth – the times when they are most vulnerable – has had a profound impact on me as a person. It put a lot of things into perspective and made me realise how strong women are, what they can achieve and what they can overcome. Thank you for allowing me to be part of the project.

Best wishes to all of the doulas and staff, what wonderful role models you all are and what a huge difference you are making to vulnerable women, many of whom have sadly experienced some terrible horrors and hardships in life.

Former volunteer Doula

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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