Volunteer

Hey friends! 
The Open Umbrella Collective is seeking smart, awesome, caring people to join our organization as volunteer Abortion Doulas in Asheville, NC!

What is a Doula?

The word doula is an ancient Greek term that translates to “caregiver.” A doula provides emotional support, pain management and relaxation techniques, and information to their clients as needed.

An Abortion Doula will provide all of the above to clients who are terminating their pregnancy. The doula will be available to clients before and throughout the procedure, as well as part of the recovery period, and will remain in touch as the client desires thereafter.

Abortion Doulas

We are looking for people interested in training as abortion doulas to work with clients in the clinic. Doulas will be present and provide emotional support to clients before, during and after abortions. We are looking for people who can work at least 2 days a month as well as complete the required training, provided by the Open Umbrella Collective in September of 2012. Trained birth doulas are particularly encouraged to apply, though we are excited to bring on reproductive health and justice activists who have no prior doula training.

Job Description

  • Report to the clinic each workday
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  • Meet with clients in the clinic before abortion and answer any questions/concerns, help fill out paperwork, and provide pre-abortion counseling
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  • Provide client with emotional support during abortion. Please note: This means you will be expected to be in the operating room with the client as needed.
  • Provide clients with our contact information number and your name to contact you through the collective’s voicemail/email to talk after abortion.

Commitment

  • Attend a two-day training (held twice a year), a clinic orientation, and an observation of a shift
  • Commit to two 4-7 hour days per month (Wednesday and Friday 11-5 and Saturday 9-3)
  • At least one-year commitment to project
  • Commit to being available to speak with client post-abortion if they desire
  • Attend quarterly abortion doula meetings
  • Every volunteer has the option to committing to being a part of the leadership circle – a team that makes organizational decisions.
  • Maintain professionalism, confidentiality and good attitude

Training Details

In order to offset some of the cost of the training workshops, we will be asking each applicant accepted to pay $25 on the first day of training.  We recognize that this may be difficult for some of us; if this is the case for you, please just drop us a line.  We will waive the workshop fee, no questions asked.

How to Apply

People with experience in doula work, reproductive health, rights and justice 
work, abortion counseling or health services are encouraged to apply. People of color, queer and trans people and bi-lingual and bi-cultural people are strongly desired. People with flexible/free weekdays are ideal.  While we are willing to negotiate for the right person, priority will be given to those who can commit to at least two weekdays a month.

You can fill out the volunteer doula application here or download the questions and email them to openumbrellacollective@gmail.com
You can also contact us at 828-738-6736

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