Birth for Humankind (BfH) is committed to building a culturally diverse and trauma-informed birth and postnatal doula workforce and contributing to improving maternal health equity. BfH currently runs a fee for service Foundational Doula Training (FDT) program (hybrid in-person and online) for individuals wanting to become a doula. Free scholarship placements are available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and people from culturally and linguistically diverse background. BfH plans to introduce new training programs in the future.

BfH’s FY24-27 Strategic Plan recognises that doula training has the potential to be a significant income stream for the duration of the plan and beyond.

This will require additional resource support to implement and deliver, namely:

• Assistance selecting and implementing a new, professional, fit for purpose Learning Management System (LMS) for immediate implementation – in scope for this brief.
• Assistance designing and implementing a fit-for-purpose marketing plan for the next training for immediate implementation – out of scope for this brief.
• A revised Business Development & Implementation Plan for the training portfolio, deliverables, targets and indicative costings and income ratios over time – out of scope for this brief.

BfH requires consultancy support to assist in identifying and implementing an appropriate LMS platform, that suits the organisation’s training goals, style of training, training model, budget and staff/user capacity and technical capabilities.

BfH is accepting applications from suitably qualified individuals/teams, who are interested in conducting this work on either a consultancy or fixed-term contractor basis.

Background

BfH has delivered various iterations of its Foundational Doula Training and scholarship program since its inception in 2018. Initially the training was delivered by other training providers. BfH developed its own content and the training was first brought in-house in 2020 and has been delivered as a fee-for-service model since 2022.

It was first offered as face-to-face training, COVID meant that it was offered as live online sessions to replace what was supposed to be in person. Since then it has evolved to be a combination of online, self-directed content and face-to-face sessions.

The 2023 Foundational Doula Training has attracted nine enrolments, which are combination of full fee-for-service, discounted rates and scholarship funded placements.

From 2024, it is BfH’s intention to move to two delivery versions of the course:

• An eight-day intensive, in-person course (commencing in March 2024), with an online portal with supporting content, and
• A fully online, self-directed learning theory course (launch date March 2024 alongside in-person).
• Those who wish to volunteer with BfH, will also be required to complete an in-person organisational induction component on completion of the theory course.
• There will include an add-on option of purchasing supervision and mentoring for practical birth components (supporting first three birth support clients after the theory course is completed).

Proposed scope of works

BfH requires consultancy support to assist in identifying and implementing an appropriate LMS platform, that suits the organisation’s training goals, style of training, training model, budget and staff/user capacity and technical capabilities.

The successful candidate will provide advice on the best approach to this work, and deliverables will include, but not be limited to:

• Consultation with BfH team to document our LMS functionality requirements. This includes but is not limited to:
  • Portal for volunteer professional development and refresher training (with personalised log ins)
  • Portal for staff professional development and refresher training (with personalised log ins)
  • Portal for Board professional development and refresher training (with personalised log ins)
  • Portal for pregnant people looking for education/information resources
  • Portal for publicly accessible (online) training packages, and ability to house multiple training packages (behind payment gateways)
  • Portal for supporting resources that accompany in-person training (behind payment gateways)
  • Ability for individuals to manage all their learning through one log in (e.g. purchase additional training packages and access it all in one place)
  • Functionality to apply quizzes, questions and interactive modules (to support course assessment)
  • Mobile responsive
  • Website integration
  • Consideration of previously recommended platforms including Articulate Rise, Simplero and Canvas
  • Cost competitiveness.
• Conducting market research on available LMS platforms that are suitable to BfH’s requirements, and presenting a written brief with a shortlisted summary of a minimum of three LMSs that meet these requirements, including:
  • Comparative data on their functionality, accessibility, usability, costs, capacity to collect evaluation data, other benefits and limitations.
  • A recommendation for the most fit-for-purpose solution for BfH.
• Assisting BfH to purchase and install the LMS.
  • Including support for the BfH Communications Officer to integrate the LMS functions with the website and other administrative platforms.
• Practically implementing the transfer of all training modules and other supporting resources from our existing platforms (including Better Impact embedded videos and presentations, Vimeo) into the new LMS. Ensuring that it is suitable for BfH’s future training needs.
  • Eight day in-person training program
  • Online self-directed learning program
• Providing training and coaching for BfH staff on how to use the LMS and manage, upload and manage content (so that course content can be modified as required and learners can be supervised to ensure they are meeting their course learning requirements).

Key deliverables

• A written LMS comparison document with recommendations.
• A testing phase for all final draft content uploaded to the LMS – including implementing improvements from the testing.
• A fully functioning, fit for purpose LMS system incorporated into BfH systems.
• An in-person FDT package and supporting learning resources embedded within the LMS.
• A self-directed learning, online FDT package and supporting learning resources embedded within the LMS.
• A user guidance manual/training summary document for BfH staff on using/implementing/maintaining the LMS.

Selection criteria

The successful consultant will have:

• Extensive and proven experience implementing and building LMS systems.
• Proven experience of managing and implementing training programs using online platforms (or hybrid training programs).
• A strong understanding of the intent of online professional training and learning, including the access barriers faced by learners and the implementation challenges for training providers.
• Some knowledge of the not-for-profit social support sector in particular maternal health.
• Ability to complete key deliverables no later than*:
  • 1 November 2023: Submission of LMS comparison document.
  • 31 December 2023: Purchase and set up of LMS and provision of user guidance manual.
  • 31 January 2024: Final products uploaded, including completed testing phase.

*Some dates may be subject to change, depending on proposed approach and availability of final content. The dates given are ideal delivery dates, in order to meet internal training delivery deadlines.

A position description is attached.

For further information please contact Red Dearnley (they/them), CEO on 0411 772 949 or [email protected], using the subject line: Consultant - Learning Management System implementation enquiry via EthicalJobs.

To submit your application, click Apply Now.