Doula

Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre of Winnipeg, Inc.

* JOB POSTING *

Position: URBAN INDIGENOUS DOULA (Auntie Program)

Department: Urban Indigenous Research Lodge

Site: Aboriginal Health & Wellness Centre of Winnipeg, Inc. (AHWC) in the Neeginan Centre

Address: 181 Higgins Avenue

Reports to: Director of Research

Status: 1.0 FTE (Full-Time)

Hours of Work: Monday - Friday (occasional evenings or weekends as required)

Union: Term Contract Position (non-union)

Salary: $45,375 annually ($22.914/hr)

Date: One-year term from start of training (Jan 19, 2025)

JOB OVERVIEW

The Urban Indigenous Doula provides continuous emotional, physical, informational, and spiritual support to individuals and families before, during, and after childbirth. Guided by the teachings of the Auntie Program, this role walks alongside families, not to lead or direct, but to enhance their experience with presence, advocacy, comfort, and cultural grounding.

Doulas do not provide medical care or keep medical records. Their work honors pregnancy and birth as sacred, relational, and spiritually meaningful, supporting families to feel safe, informed, respected, and empowered throughout their reproductive journey.

This role reflects AHWC's commitment to culturally grounded, trauma-informed, and community-led care, supporting First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and 2SLGBTQPIA+ families in reclaiming birth sovereignty, ceremony, and connection to traditional teachings.

This position includes:

• completing the 3-month Urban Indigenous Doula (Auntie Program) Training
• offering prenatal support
• providing continuous labour and birth support
• offering postpartum care and home visits
• supporting families with cultural, spiritual, and community-based practices

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

Training & Learning

· Completes the 12-week Indigenous Doula Training, followed by mentorship and ongoing capacity-building.

· Integrates teachings, ethics, ceremony, and AHWC practices into daily work.

· Completes AHWC onboarding, including PHIA training, confidentiality, documentation, and home-visiting safety training.

· Participates in reflective practice, supervision, and feedback circles.

1. PRENATAL SUPPORT

· Builds trusting, caring relationships grounded in confidentiality, safety, and cultural humility.

· Provides emotional reassurance, grounded presence, and culturally safe guidance.

· Supports birth and postpartum plan creation, respecting identity, lived experience, and cultural/spiritual preferences.

· Offers information and advocacy related to pregnancy, body literacy, medical procedures, comfort measures, and system navigation.

· Supports families in exploring their hopes, fears, strengths, and decision-making.

· Provides transportation or accompaniment to prenatal appointments as needed.

· Helps families prepare their home for baby's arrival and identify supports.

1. LABOUR & BIRTH SUPPORT

· Provides continuous emotional, physical, spiritual, and informational support throughout labour.

· Uses a range of comfort measures: movement, massage, counter-pressure, breathing, hydrotherapy, visualization, and "combo techniques."

· Upholds cultural teachings and ceremony during birth as requested (e.g., medicines, songs, water teachings, language).

· Advocates for the birthing person's choices, rights, and autonomy, supporting informed decision-making and communication with providers.

· Uses an anti-oppressive/anti-racist lens and trauma-informed approach to support safety, dignity, and empowerment.

· Works collaboratively with AHWC Leadership and staff, as well as partners, family members, midwives, nurses, and physicians.

1. POSTPARTUM SUPPORT

· Provides home visits in alignment with AHWC protocols (consent, safety, boundaries, documentation), until end of term contract.

· Offers emotional reassurance, grounded presence, and culturally safe support during the transition to parenting.

· Supports infant feeding (breast/chest/formula), bonding, and newborn care.

· Provides light household support, meal prep, and respite care as appropriate.

· Offers phone/text support, checking in on emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.

· Provides accompaniment to postpartum or newborn appointments.

· Offers advocacy and referrals to social supports (housing, food, income, harm-reduction, mental health).

· Holds space for grief, loss, or unexpected outcomes with compassion and cultural grounding.

1. CULTURAL & SPIRITUAL SUPPORT

· Integrates teachings from the Auntie Program, including birth as ceremony, water teachings, medicines, cultural protocols, reproductive body knowledge, autonomy and body sovereignty, trauma-informed and anti-oppressive/anti-racist practice, full-spectrum care principles, and relational accountability.

· Connects families to Elders, Knowledge Keepers, teachings, languages, ceremonies, and ancestral practices when possible and as appropriate.

· Upholds spiritual protocols and supports the sacredness of birth and early parenting.

1. ETHICS, CONFIDENTIALITY, & SCOPE

· Upholds confidentiality as a sacred responsibility, honoring stories with respect and relational accountability.

· Remains within the doula scope: no clinical tasks, no diagnosis, no medical advice.

· Supports autonomy, sovereignty, and client decision-making at all times.

· Understands and meets Manitoba's Duty to Report in relation to child safety.

· Maintains factual, respectful case notes in alignment with AHWC and PHIA standards.

1. DOCUMENTATION & TEAMWORK

· Completes timely, accurate, confidential documentation.

· Participates in team meetings, huddles, case reviews, and reflective circles.

· Works collaboratively with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, providers, and community partners.

· Supports program evaluation and continuous improvement.

CORE COMPETENCIES

1. Cultural Safety & Humility

· Demonstrates respect for Indigenous teachings, land-based knowledge, ceremony, and diverse communities' practices.

· Understands how colonization, medicalization, privilege, oppression, and racism impact birth and parenting.

2. Emotional, Physical, Informational & Spiritual Support

· Provides all four of these pillars of doula support confidently and responsively.

· Offers clear, evidence-informed information to support autonomy and informed choice.

3. Anti-Oppressive/Anti-Racist, Trauma-Informed, Harm-Reduction Practice

· Recognizes systemic barriers and advocates for culturally safe, non-judgmental care.

· Supports clients experiencing oppression, racism, violence, or medical trauma.

4. Body Literacy & Reproductive Knowledge

· Understands basic reproductive anatomy, hormones, stages of labour, and postpartum changes.

· Supports clients in understanding their bodies and their rights.

5. Home-Visiting Safety, Boundaries, & Professionalism

· Maintains safe practices, clear boundaries, and respectful, consent-based interactions in clients' homes.

6. Crisis Awareness & Response

· Recognizes signs of distress, family violence, unsafe situations, or urgent needs, and knows when to seek support.

7. Self-Reflection, Integrity, & Community Accountability

· Engages in self-reflection, accepts feedback, and embodies the ethics of Indigenous doula work.

· Practices with humility, responsibility, and care for self and community.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

· Strong relationship-building, communication, and listening skills.

· Ability to hold space during emotionally intense moments with calm and grounding.

· Knowledge of Indigenous cultural practices and ceremonies (or willingness to learn).

· Ability to problem-solve, adapt, and support families in diverse situations.

· Basic documentation and digital literacy skills.

· Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.

QUALIFICATIONS

· Completion of the 3-month Urban Indigenous Doula (Auntie Program) Training (required).

· Lived, community, or professional experience supporting families in pregnancy, birth, postpartum, or reproductive journeys.

· Knowledge of Winnipeg's Indigenous community and perinatal resources.

· CPR/First Aid (or willingness to obtain).

· Valid driver's licence and reliable transportation required.

· Indigenous language skills an asset.

PHYSICAL & EMOTIONAL DEMANDS

· Ability to stand, walk, and perform moderate physical tasks (home visits, comfort measures, mobility support).

· Should have good coping skills and stress management.

· Comfort working in dynamic, unpredictable, fast-moving settings.

All positions are subject to Criminal Record and Child Abuse Registry checks. Applicants may be required to undergo testing to determine the knowledge, skill, and ability required for position.

AHWC is committed to equity and inclusion and is on an earnest journey to increase responsiveness to Indigenous peoples by promoting a workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. As an Indigenous-led program grounded in community teachings, we ask that only First Nation, Inuit, or Métis persons apply at this time and that the successful applicant be able to verify that they are Indigenous. If, as a First Nation, Inuit, or Métis person, an applicant has personal and/or familial lived experience or is a member of another equity-seeking group or groups, they are encouraged to self-declare in their application.

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATION: January 15, 2026

Please submit cover letter, resume, and three work related references to:

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $22.91 per hour

Expected hours: 75 per week

Work Location: In person