“Social work is beyond a career, it’s a lifestyle,” – Lauristian Choy

By Lakhram Bhagirat

In every profession, some people go above the call of duty to ensure that they are performing at the best of their abilities. They do that because they love what they do and their profession has become a part of them. They do not look for a pat on the back or the compliments, rather they go above and beyond because they really want to make a difference in their field.
Going above and beyond has become the norm in Lauristan Choy’s life ever since he became a social worker. Not a day has passed that he does not feel grateful to be able to make a difference in the lives of those he encounters.
Choy is currently employed with the Social Protection Ministry’s Child Care and Protection Agency as the acting Senior Probation and Social Service Officer for Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice). Coming from humble beginnings, Choy knows what it means to have very little and this ignited a spark in him from a very young age to be more aware of the fabric of society.
He always envisioned himself in a field where he is able to make a difference and help those he can. Hard work and perseverance are vital ingredients in the 31-year-old’s life.
A product of one of the lowest junior secondary schools in the New Amsterdam-Canje District — the Canje Secondary School, Choy has proved that it is not where you come from but the path you create on your quest for success that matters. He took his future in his hands and shaped it the way he wanted. He had a purpose, identified his goals and then began the gruelling work of achieving those goals. The road to his current position has not been a paved one nor was the ride a smooth one rather it was a road laced with potholes. Nevertheless, he dodged, swerved and conquered.
After he left secondary school, Choy went to the New Amsterdam Technical Institute where he earned Diplomas in Computer Science and Business Studies and was also the first valedictorian of the institution back in 2006. From here, his thirst for knowledge just skyrocketed and he knew he was destined for bigger things.
On that quest, he enrolled at the University of Guyana–Berbice and read for a Diploma in Public Management. At that time, he was employed by the Regional Administration and felt that public management was his calling. As life would have it, in 2011 some three months before his final exam for his Diploma, Choy was attacked and severely beaten by a group of gunmen. They took away his laptop with all his research and information for the courses he was taking at the time.
Battered and bruised, Choy did not give up. He brushed himself off and went at it and eventually graduated.
However, through his volunteering efforts within his community and various Non-Governmental Organisations, the desire to help people became too hard for him to ignore. He went back to UG and this time read for his Diploma in Social Work and graduated as the Best Graduating Student.
“After completing my Diploma in Social Work, my place of work did not grant me permission to continue studying for my degree. I was devastated, but did not allow such to derail my purpose. I decided to continue my studies. I had to attend classes after 4:30 (16:30h) which posed several problems for me. I reached to classes late every day and my small salary was deducted for the days I took to conduct fieldwork for the courses which were mandatory,” he related.
In 2017, he graduated with his degree and was the best graduating student in Social Work once again. He also gained the University of Guyana-Berbice Campus Director’s award for the graduating student who exemplified leadership within the University.
After gaining employment at the Social Protection Ministry as a Probation and Social Service Officer-Child Protection, Choy began feeling at home.
“I love children. I love the innocence that they bring and the ability to be carefree and creative, and to know that persons are violating these precious souls made me want to do something about addressing that. Hence, I applied for the post of Child Protection Officer, a job that I have loved from day one; I do not feel like I am at work. I am happy to know that through my work I can help to make someone else’s life better,” he declared.
“Social work for me is beyond a career: it’s a lifestyle. The simple principle that governs this profession is built on social justice. We are all human beings at different levels in our lives, and, therefore, we must not see ourselves greater than each other.”
As a young person, Choy believes that social work practice in Guyana is evolving and the standard is being lifted, especially with the Social Worker Code of Ethics, which outlines the professional framework of the profession. He notes that the field provides you with the opportunity to see the other side that is constantly hidden and it is a field that should not be taken lightly.
“Like doctors, we have to be very careful how we address a person’s issues; if not handled professionally, we can damage someone’s life. Sadly, globally, the field of social work is not perceived as important as medical practitioners. The treatment that social workers receive can be described as second class. Social workers work beyond the call of duty and most times, neglect their families in the process only to receive insults from persons including other professionals, having poor working conditions, high case loads and meagre salaries,” he laments.
When one thinks of going above and beyond the call of duty, just listening to some of the experiences that Choy had in the field would show how much he cares about his profession. For him, social work is not just a job, rather it is part of his being — his purpose. He has gotten muddy, trekked through the bushes, crossed planks across trenches, was verbally abused and even intercepted by armed Venezuelan rebels while executing his duties.
“I remember in 2018. I was given the assignment to accompany a group to the Amerindian Village Ereku, Region Seven. This was my first time in an interior location; I enjoyed interacting with the residents. It was after one of our meetings: the group were returning to Eteringbang opposite the Venezuelan border on the Cuyuni River when the boat we were in was intercepted by one of Venezuela’s rebel groups called the Sentacatas who had high-power weapons. I was scared but remained calm. Luckily in our boat, there were three Guyana Defence Force officers who ensured we reached safely back to shore,” Chou recounted.
Social work is a multifaceted profession which allows one to serve in different capacities and for Choy, the end goal is to specialise in the areas of children and youth as a Social Development Specialist.
When asked what advice he has for persons wanting to join the social work field, Choy says: “Firstly, understand why you want to be in this profession. Being a social worker is not a gloried job, it gets dirty, challenging and it speaks to your moral compass. If your desire is to make money, then social work is not for you, you will find that we spend more money than we receive.”
For now, Choy continues to do transformational things in his quest to ensure that social justice is delivered.