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Fostering A Community-Based Health Care Workforce
Urban Baby Beginnings promotes the development of a community-based paraprofessional workforce by recruiting and training individuals of color to work in the maternal and child health profession as Community Doulas and Perinatal Health Workers.
The program educates, mentors, and guides students, and provides enriching experiences to increase their expertise in maternal child health professions.
We Are Here For You
Community Doula Training Program
Professional Development
Community Doula Training Program
Professional Development
Doula Training
Why Become A Community Doula?
Support: UBB connects expectant and new parents to Community Doulas who are specially trained to provide support during the sensitive first months of pregnancy through a child’s first birthday.
Knowledge: This program is community-based: linking community doulas who are from the same community as their clients who are able to bridge cultural and language barriers to meet pregnancy, postpartum, and early childhood needs. Our community doulas serve multiple roles for the families with whom they work – not only in support of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum but also in the role of cultural navigator, “walking alongside” pregnant and parenting families. The family is the most important part of this circle; community doulas help to navigate and access resources for their children so that babies are arriving ready for early childhood learning. These formative years are crucial to the development of our youngest yet most important investment.
Empowerment: Community Doulas are encouraged and empowered to expand their knowledge. This training connects you with a village of professionals that have the skills and desire to help support individuals who wish to do this work. Applying your knowledge as a birthing person, with an additional 60-120 hours of specialized education helps you to be successful in your desire to support and empower families to trust their inner voice while advocating for themselves.
UBB Community Doulas
Community Doulas help to address disparities in the maternal health system. Participating in our training can help prepare you for challenges that may be incurred in working with marginalized populations. Community Doulas work with individuals in a variety of settings. UBB's Outreach Doula program is seeking national accreditation through HealthConnect One and is the first community doula training program in the State of Virginia to certify Community Doulas of Color.
Join Our Community Doula Training Program
Due to the unique needs of doula trainees, our 2024 trainings offer the following: a) Ambasssor Maternal Health 101 training in collaboration with TCPSE, b) Community Doula Training, Mentorship, and State Certification/Medicaid credentialing for UBB employees, c) UBB Doula training scholarship assistance for Roanoke constituents that identify as women of color.
If you reside in Newport News, Hampton, Roanoke, or Petersburg and are interested in becoming a UBB doula employee, please submit a referral using the online referral link or email training@urbanbabybeginnings.org and we will send you more information. Please include your resume and letter of interest.
Professional Development
The lack of refresher trainings/mentorship is a reported barrier to applying new knowledge and skills for individuals of color in the Maternal Child Health field. Urban Baby Beginnings commitment is to provide opportunities for professionals of color who work with women, infants, and children to obtain training and credit hours geared towards expanding knowledge in working with special populations within maternal and child health.
Our program and content is trademarked and copywritten.
Written consent must be obtained by Urban Baby Beginnings and Health Connect One to use any information shared regarding curriculum, content, or the programming. To discuss ways that you may partner, please contact us and someone will reach out to you.
