For years, Mahdia’s most vulnerable families had nowhere to turn when a child needed protection or a survivor needed advocacy — now, a new cohort of hinterland residents is training to fill that gap themselves.
Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud officially launched the Certificate in Paraprofessional Social Services (CPSS) course in Mahdia, Region Eight, on Friday, describing it as a transformative investment in people.
Addressing the programme’s first cohort at the Mahdia Primary School, Minister Persaud congratulated participants for becoming pioneers of an initiative designed to address the shortage of trained social workers in hinterland communities.
“For too long, many of our hinterland regions have suffered because we do not have enough persons who are trained in social work,” she said, telling participants their presence marked them as trailblazers.
The training, offered free through the Ministry in partnership with the Guyana Association of Professional Social Workers (GAPSW) and accredited by the University of Guyana, provides foundational social work training while opening pathways to long-term careers.
Minister Persaud said graduates would be well-positioned for employment within the Ministry, including the Childcare and Protection Agency, the Social Services Department and the Survivor Advocate Programme, describing the course as “a launchpad into a career in Social Work.”
The programme supports Government efforts to expand access to qualified social workers, particularly in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine, where need remains significant.
The minister underscored the role social workers play in addressing child protection, family welfare, mental health and gender-based and domestic violence, and stressed the importance of sound documentation, standard procedures and ethical conduct, noting social workers often become integral to court proceedings and case management.
