An awesome Brooklyn organization, the Brooklyn Young Mothers Collective, is hiring someone to coordinate their teen doula project. FYI, in case you know some awesome doulas looking for work.

Teen Doula Project Coordinator

This position involves development of a new program, requiring a capacity to innovate, work collaboratively, develop institutional relationships, function autonomously, and communicate a program vision.

Responsibilities include:
* Recruit, manage, oversee doula staff and will report directly to the Executive Director
* Coordinate recruitment of participating families
* Outreach/linking with collaborating agencies
* Conduct doula trainings
* Oversee data collection and evaluation
* Liaison with Chicago Health Connection
* Deliver 12 births in first half of the year
* Supervise a minimum of four births supported by community-based doulas

Requirements:
Public Health Professional or Social Work experience
Some program management experience
Some supervisory experience, preferably with “reflective supervision” approach
Experience and comfort working with adolescent and young mothers
Experience with community-based programs and knowledge of New York City’s low-income and underserved areas
Basic understanding of the New York City public health programs
Experience working with a diverse work force and diverse clientele
Desirable: maternal-child health clinical experience, preferably labor and delivery
Highly desirable: Fluent in Spanish

Supervision Received: Works under the direction and supervision of the Executive Director. May be assigned by the Executive Director to work with, and be supervised by, other office personnel for specific periods and/or specific tasks.

Work Schedule: Must be able to maintain a flexible part-time schedule during the first year of program.

The Brooklyn Young Mothers’ Collective provides a competitive benefits and compensation package, and is an equal opportunity employer. Women of color, LGBT candidates and low-income women strongly encouraged to apply.

Please submit a cover letter and resume to Benita Miller no later than January 4, 2008.

Email information to benita@bymcinc.org

About two months ago, I posted a call for radical doulas, because a woman had emailed me who was having trouble finding a doula to attend her birth. A refresher of her situation: 

Last week I received an email from a woman living in a small town outside of Minneapolis, MN who has had a terrible time trying to find a doula. She is now 17 weeks pregnant, and she told me how she has been turned down, not once, not twice, but THREE times by three different doulas. Why?

–The first doula turned her down because she is not sure if she wants to give birth without an epidural.

–The second doula turned her down because she was pregnant with twins, and decided to do a selective reduction and terminate one of the pregnancies at 11 weeks.

–The third doula turned her down because she is serving as a surrogate for a gay couple.

Well I have good news! She found a doula. While the doula she eventually found was in her own doctor’s office (a former doula and midwife), I want to say thank you to everyone who emailed me, forwarded the message along and offered their support and assistance for her doula search. I got more than 12 offers from women to be her doula, in addition to offers to screen doulas for her, and much more. It was really amazing to see what kind of mobilizing you were all willing to do. Thank you!

Lastly, I just want to share with you her words:

I’m so relieved and happy to have found someone that I know will be great to work with. I really, really appreciate your help in this situation too. Just having your support reassured me that I was doing the right thing in trying to find a doula. The search was a little difficult but it helped me so much to know that there are really awesome women (like yourself) out there who would be willing to help if they could.

Thank you again and if it’s ok with you I would like to update you once the baby is born. I’m looking forward to a successful doula attended birth!

So thanks again to all of you for your support and solidarity.