Protocol for action
AFTER RECEIVING A REPORT FROM ALO BUSHAVKO AT PDAS MEGJASI
Role of Alo Bushavko
Hello Bushavko, previously known as the SOS telephone for children and youth, within the framework of the First Children's Embassy in the World "Megjashi", established in 1993, is the first telephone for children and youth in Macedonia. Hello Bushavko at Megjashi is a place where children and youth can talk about their feelings, problems, situations they do not understand, report a violation of their rights or get information about matters of interest to them or about their rights. The purpose of the SOS line is to protect the rights of children and youth and to provide psychological support through conversation.
Principles of work
Alo Bushavko works according to the following principles:
- The best interest of the child – the interest of the child is always put first, for each specific situation an assessment of the best interest of the child is made
- Confidentiality – the data obtained from the persons who reported are confidential and not available to the public, they are used only for statistical data or analysis.
- Availability – Hello Bushavko – phone numbers and other communication channels (chat, email) are available 24/7.
- Anonymity – callers and counselors have the right to remain anonymous.
What is a child ?
A child is considered any person up to the age of 18, as well as persons with disabilities in physical and mental development up to the age of 26, according to the Law on Child Protection (Article 11) and according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 1);
A younger minor is a minor who has reached the age of 14 and has not reached the age of 16 (3rd Law on Juvenile Justice, Article 12)
An older minor is a minor who has reached the age of 16 and has not reached the age of 18 (3rd Law on Juvenile Justice, Article 12);
A younger adult is a person who has reached the age of 18 and has not reached the age of 21 (3rd Law on Juvenile Justice, Article 12)
What can I expect?
Alo Bushavko exists primarily for children and young people and always cares whether a child’s right is respected or violated and provides advice or suggests action that is in their best interest.
Alo Bushavko offers multiple communication channels: landline number 02 2465 316, mobile phone 070 390 632, online chat option on the Alo Bushavko website, email, as well as a visit to our premises. For the last option (visit to the premises), during the Covid-19 pandemic there is a limitation and it can be arranged by prior appointment via phone/email message.
The Alo Bushavko website also offers advisory, informative, educational content for parents and adults working with children on various topics. If you cannot find information about what interests you, you can write to us and we will provide you with an additional answer.
Alo Bushavko is staffed by volunteers from various fields: psychologists, criminologists, special educators and rehabilitators, lawyers, social workers, pedagogues, etc. They respond to calls from children, young people, parents and other individuals. They establish trust with the caller, listen carefully, giving everyone space to express their problem, dilemma or question, and, depending on the nature of the call, provide appropriate advice, refer to the appropriate institution, and try to help callers find the right solution to how best to deal with a particular problem. Regardless of the nature of the call, each call is considered individually, without comparison with other similar calls, in order to give priority and importance to each story separately.
There is no magic solution to any problem. No matter how trained the counselors are, they are not able to immediately solve any problem. What is offered is free psychosocial and legal counseling, support and guidance, and referral to a state institution that is competent for the specific problem.
What can we do and what can't we do?
For every problem that requires some action, the Alo Bushavko team discusses and decides on the next steps as a team. Other members from Megjashi are also involved if necessary.
In some areas we have opportunities to act, but in others we don’t.
Our credentials
As a non-governmental organization, we can do the following:
- Advocate for the rights of the child
- Provide psychological and legal counseling to or for children
- Refer you to school counselors (psychologists, pedagogues, special education teachers), child protection institutions or law enforcement institutions (social work center, police, Ombudsman), health workers or other organizations as more appropriate to resolve the specific problem and cooperate with them if necessary
- Take direct action together with competent institutions at their request, for example, with an intervention team of the Social Work Center in Skopje, police, etc.
- Directly address competent law enforcement institutions through a letter, request, notification, or call
- Report a case to the appropriate institution on behalf of the whistleblower after obtaining prior written permission from the same, including permission obtained electronically.
We have no credentials.
We have no authority to do the following:
- To represent the rights of adults in divorce proceedings, property rights, inheritance relations, personal lawsuits, etc.
- To provide psychological and legal advice to adults on their personal problems that do not directly affect children
- To carry out on-site inspections in any public institution (social work center, school, etc.) or private institution (sports clubs, playrooms, etc.). We can OURSELVES send an appeal or report to the authorities to carry out inspections.
- To carry out field inspections, for example, visiting a family, at the scene of an event, public places, etc.
- To share matters entrusted to us as information between callers affected by the same event or problem
- To share correspondence from law enforcement institutions, to parents/reporters
- To mediate in disturbed interpersonal relationships between legal and natural persons involving children
- To provide recommendations for court decisions and solutions to social work centers.
To investigate in public or private institutions upon receipt of a tip (employees in institutions, schools, interpersonal relationships, video recordings, photographs, events, etc.). Megjashi is not an investigative body and does not have such powers.
Cooperation with institutions
For all matters for which we do not have jurisdiction, we cooperate with all competent institutions, but often with other organizations and professional services. Alo Bushavko cooperates with local authorities, competent institutions, as well as with other non-governmental organizations in order to protect children and young people. We most often cooperate with social work centers, the Ombudsman, the State Educational Inspectorate, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office and other organizations: HERA, First Family Center, Coalition for Fair Trial, Association of Young Lawyers, etc.