Social Protection Ministry to train 200 community advocates

The Social Protection Ministry in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) recently launched its Community Advocacy Programme (CAP) and 200 community advocates are expected to be trained yearly.
In a release, the Ministry explained that it is partnering with selected communities to make residents more aware of the services it offers. The programme which is being executed by the Department of Social Services, will empower paraprofessionals and community support workers in communities across the 10 administrative regions.
The Community Advocacy Programme was established by the Ministry, through

the Department of Social Services, after it was recognised that there was an increase in demand for scarce resources, and the need to improve the national response to address social issues in Guyana.
The initiative is intended to achieve a network of advocates countrywide who will strengthen communities’ responses to social issues, empower and equip communities with the acquisition of knowledge and coping skills and improve the quality of vulnerable groups (including women and children) by providing access to social support and other community resources.
Upon completion of the training component of CAP, the community advocates will be responsible for gathering information regarding the needs and vulnerabilities of community residents. This will assist in tackling social issues such as abuse while providing services for probation and family welfare, Counter-Trafficking in Persons (CTIP), and gender affairs.
Training was recently concluded in communities of East La Patience, Sophia and North Ruimveldt in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica). Persons from Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and Rose Hall, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) also benefited.