Support and guide our volunteer companions

Our mentors offer an extra layer of support to our wonderful volunteer companions. You’ll provide guidance to companion volunteers, complementing the roles of group supervision and service managers. Mentors play an integral role in supporting Amma to be an informed, safe, and supportive organisation for our volunteers and the families we support.

Next application deadline: 20 November 2025

About the role

You’ll offer experienced guidance to volunteer companions, particularly those just starting out.

How it works:

  • Each parent receiving support has a small team of birth and/or postnatal companions assigned to them
  • If these companions are newer to the role, or there are particular complexities, you’ll be added to the team for the period they’re working with that client
  • Support is provided through arranged meetings (WhatsApp, phone, video conferencing, or face-to-face), either with the group or individual companions
  • You’ll stay informed through a WhatsApp group and our online records management system
  • A couple of meetings may be sufficient, but more may be needed in complex situations
  • You’ll also be available to answer questions and support if issues arise from time to time

You can proactively offer support if you identify that guidance is needed at a particular moment.

Is this role right for you?

Before applying to volunteer as a mentor, please consider the following role requirements:

  • Relevant experience - Substantial experience in midwifery, counselling, birthwork, or a related field
  • Flexibility - Support newer companions as needed (support can last up to two months). This role works within your schedule — you choose when you have capacity.
  • Training commitment - Approximately 50 hours of in-person training in Glasgow and self-directed online learning
  • Emotional resilience - Supporting families with trauma histories and complex needs. Supervision and team support are provided.
  • Option to volunteer remotely - Mentors' support can be offered remotely, so you don't need to be local to Glasgow. However, you will need to attend in-person training in Glasgow (see training dates below).

Recruitment & training dates

We recruit and train new mentors twice per year. Here are the key dates for the January 2026 cohort:

  • Application deadline: 20 November 2025
  • Interviews: 17 November–11 December 2025
  • Recruitment finalised/all candidates notified: 12 December 2025
  • Online training: Mid-December 2025–March 2026
  • In-person sessions in Glasgow city centre (all mandatory): January 16, 17, 20, 27 / February 3, 10, 24 / March 3, 10, 17, 24, 30

View full training schedule in application form.

Frequently asked questions

Who can volunteer as a mentor?

Our volunteers come from all walks of life! We ask that mentors:

  • Have substantial experience in a relevant field – this could be midwifery, counselling, doula work, or similar
  • Can speak, read, and write English to a good standard
  • Have time to dedicate to the role
  • Are punctual, reliable, and work well in teams
  • Can attend approximately 50 hours of in-person training plus self-directed online learning
  • Are compassionate and committed to social justice, anti-racism, and inclusion
  • Can support individuals with extensive trauma histories (please consider your own wellbeing if currently healing from trauma)
  • Agree to a PVG check (Protecting Vulnerable Groups)
  • Can commit to one year of volunteering

 We especially encourage multilingual volunteers and those with lived experience of migration to apply! 

We are inclusive of all women (cis and trans). We welcome non-binary, intersex, and gender non-conforming people who share or have shared lived experiences of women’s issues and are comfortable in a space that centres women.

This is a flexible role that works within your schedule.

When you have capacity to mentor, you’ll be added to a WhatsApp group with the team, and an Amma staff member will fill everyone in on the parent’s details. Every companion’s needs are different but support can last up to two months in total.

You choose when to mentor based on your availability.

Even if you have experience as a birth worker or midwife, we ask volunteer mentors to participate in most of our companionship training. This helps you understand the role of the companions you’ll be supporting, while also rounding out your own knowledge of the families we support.

Training includes:

  • ~15 hours of self-paced online study 
  • ~50 hours of in-person training over three months
  • Sessions cover topics vital to the companionship/mentor role
  • Ongoing training opportunities to support you in your role

After completing training, you’ll be signed off and can be assigned to a team.

Our training explores different ways of learning and promotes discussion and connection. Most volunteers finish feeling supported and excited to begin offering postnatal support.

Topics include:

  • Providing trauma-informed care
  • Boundaries and confidentiality
  • The experiences of our client group
  • Safeguarding, allyship, and privilege
  • Birth experiences and interventions
  • Supporting survivors in the birth space
  • Supporting active birth and oxytocin
  • Introduction to infant feeding
  • Supporting the postpartum parent
  • Advocacy

We also provide ongoing training opportunities to support you in your role.

No. We never want our volunteers to be out of pocket!

We cover:

  • Travel expenses for training and volunteering (we simply ask that you try to take the least expensive public transport available). If you live outside of Glasgow, please discuss with our Volunteer Manager, Jenny Block.
  • Computer and/or internet access if you don’t have these at home. This ensures you can complete online training and update your client notes.
  • If you’re a refugee, in the asylum system, or have no recourse to public funds and have no access to childcare, we can reimburse childcare costs during training but not when you are volunteering.
  • An Amma phone for each active volunteer. This means you don’t incur mobile expenses and it protects your privacy and boundaries when working with families.

We’re committed to supporting volunteers with disabilities. Our team offers personalised assistance, and our training accommodates different learning needs.

This role can be performed remotely after the initial in-person training, which may make it more accessible for those with mobility considerations.

Before applying, we recommend contacting our Volunteer Manager, Jenny Block (jenny@ammabirthcompanions.org), to discuss your specific access needs.

Supporting parents in complex situations is fulfilling, but the emotional impact can be significant. We support mentors through:

  • Working in supportive teams 
  • Access to supervision with a mental health professional as needed
  • Ongoing skills development opportunities
  • Regular opportunities to connect with and befriend other Amma volunteers
  • An Amma phone for safe, boundaried working
  • A dedicated volunteer manager

Ready to join us?

Applications are open on a rolling basis, so please apply even if we aren’t actively recruiting. We’ll reach out to you during the next recruitment phase.

Next application deadline: 20 November 2025

Apply now

Have questions? Contact our Volunteer Manager, Jenny Block: jenny@ammabirthcompanions.org