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Doula Programs and Tracking Outcomes
What is your doula program doing to track the outcomes of your efforts? In my book, The Doula Business Guide: Creating a Successful MotherBaby Business, I outline the importance of tracking AND publishing outcomes for doula programs. It is absolutely necessary to do this if you are serious about making doula services widely available to the community you are serving for years to come. To write a grant proposal worthy of funding, you will need to describe how you are going to evaluate your success in reaching your goals and objectives. In other words, how will you know that you have made a difference for the women and families served by your program? What will be your measurements of success?
This is basic stuff, but it is amazing how many programs fail to: (1) systematically collect essential data; (2) enter that data into a system designed for easy access and assessment; and (3) make an effort to publish and share their results. Obviously, step one is necessary before steps two or three can be accomplished. However, step one is also irrelevant if there is no follow through on the evaluation side of your program. Eventually, even devoted funders who believe in what you are doing with no hard data to back it up, will require some accountability to their constituency.
What are your doula program’s measures of success?
The Doula Programs blog provides a forum for doula program visionaries and implementers to consider common challenges, ask questions, and learn from each other. Patty Brennan is the author of The Doula Business Guide: Creating a Successful MotherBaby Business.