Caroline Lemay

Hello everyone!
My name is Caroline Lemay, and I am the appointed Ombudsperson for Repercussion Theatre. This page is meant to provide you with an overview of my work as an Ombudsperson and when this service can be helpful for you during your time with the Theatre. 

Who am I?
I am a trained lawyer, specializing in Conflict prevention and resolution. I’ve worked as an impartial third-party for the last 15 years, for different organizations, in different contexts. I specialize in relational ethics, where I am aiming at finding solutions that promote fairness for all parties, while protecting relationships within a community and contributing to foster a safe and healthy environment. 

The essence of my work is animated by my motivation on how to best protect human dignity and it is greatly inspired by the psychology of justice, restorative justice ethics and principles as well as the trauma-informed approach, with a sensitivity to the risk factors of mental health in the workplace.

Now, what’s an Ombudsperson? 
An Ombudsperson is an impartial third-party to an organization that provides support in conflict prevention and resolution. The service is available to anyone evolving with and within an organization, such as employees, subcontractors, managers, members of the Board, etc…

An Ombudsperson usually fills 4 different roles:

To listen: having a soundboard can be a great way to understand the real nature of the situation you are experiencing. By reaching out to someone who specializes in conflict prevention and resolution, you can benefit from support to find the language for your experience, discuss different possible solutions and improve your conflict prevention and resolution knowledge and skills.

To advise: most people want to solve their issues autonomously but might not feel fully confident in doing so. I can provide you with informed guidance adapted to the context and its sensitivity, the personalities involved and your capacity to diffuse adversity.

To put in place informal interventions: when needed, I can support parties to solve their issues with the other person, through mediation for example or with the support of the Management.

To investigate: should someone wants to make a formal complaint, I inform the complainant about the process and lead the investigation when this option prevails.

The principles under which the Ombudsperson are working are stated in the Terms of Reference. However, it is relevant to say that my work is meant to be discrete and transparent: my main concern is to ensure you feel safe to share your concerns. Our conversations are confidential and the interventions made are always discussed beforehand with the person it is meant to support. The purpose is to make sure you are comfortable with the steps taken, that you stay in control of the process and that you can foresee what will be coming next. 

DON’T FORGET THE PREVENTION!!! This service aims at solving tensions but also to prevent them from escalating. Therefore, you are encouraged to contact me as soon as you feel something is off. It will be a great opportunity to sort things out and see what can be done to prevent an escalation. In doing so, you protect yourself, but also your colleagues! Always keep in mind → It takes much less time to prevent a conflict than to solve one!

If you have any questions or want to discuss a situation you are experiencing, do not hesitate to contact me. I guarantee a reply within 48 hours! My email address is arts.ombuds@omega-ombs.ca