Linka bezpečí marks 20 years of helping children
A
This week marked the 20th anniversary
of Linka bezpečí, a helpline available for anyone up to the age of 18 (or if
studying, to 26) to call at moments of difficulty. Over 20 years, the
helpline has answered millions of calls and addressed countless problems, some
of them very serious.
B
Earlier, I spoke to Linka bezpečí’s Ivana Šatrová, asking about how the
line worked and how many it had helped. “We have specific statistics and know
that this year we reached the number of 10 million children and teenagers who
contacted us over 20 years. The service is the only free one on a national
level, making it indispensable.”
C
“I imagine since it
began the service changed quite a bit. Is that the case and have changes made
it easier for children to open up about their problems?” “We had to adapt of course to new communications, for
example, providing the opportunity to use emails or to chat directly with a
professional. Writing is easier for example in more serious cases, where it is
difficult for a girl who, unfortunately, was raped. Someone who can’t talk about it may find they can say what
happened if they write it down. And that of course helps.”
D
“How do you handle
serious cases where a crime is being or has been committed?” “We always respect the privacy and security of
children who contact us. We make sure they know that it is wonderful that
they have contacted us and that they have told someone what has happened. We
try to impress upon them the need to tell someone they can trust,
someone in their surroundings. We have to contact the police, of
course, but always the children know about it and agree. We try and work out a
plan with them a concrete plan, to agree on steps to take.”
E “When is a problem
considered, at least to a degree, "resolved"? By the end of the call
or email or chat?” “That’s a difficult
question. Not all problems can be resolved. Sometimes the questions are easier
to answer of course. We take all questions seriously, seeing the situation and importance
through the eyes of the child calling. More difficult cases, like the one I
mentioned, we agree on a plan of steps to be taken. We can’t always know that
the story will end successfully, that is the sadness of the helpline. On
the other hand, over the years we have gotten 11,000 letters or emails and
other messages thanking us, saying we helped them. So, there is this feedback
from children.”
Adjusted to (1)
indispensable –
nepostradatelný
rape – znásilnit
1) Read the article and match each of the headings to
a paragraph.
1 10 million children have
contacted the line
2 New communication technologies are used
3 Linka bezpečí marked the 20th anniversary
4 Problem solving and feedback
5 Process of dealing with crimes
2) Read the article and answer the questions.
1 What is Linka bezpečí?
2 What does Ivana Šatrová say about new technologies
used? What was the reason to implement them?
3 What must be done in case of committed crime?
4 When are problems resolved?
5 Does the line get any feedback? What kind?
3) Explain the following words and phrases.
1 anniversary
2 moments of difficulty
3 privacy and security of
children
4 trust their surroundings
5 helpline
4) Answer the following questions.
What kind of organization is Linka bezpečí? How
is it funded? Who does it help to? How does the line work? What projects does
it work on? What do you know about them?
Video:
Tips, sources of information:
Source:
(1)
VELINGER, Jan. Linka bezpečí marks 20
years of helping children. Český rozhlas [online]. 2014 [cit.
2015-09-21]. Available at:
http://radio.cz/en/section/curraffrs/linka-bezpeci-marks-20-years-of-helping-children
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