FAQ
Citizen Mediation
Where do meetings with mediators take place?
Meetings can be held at the Trajet office, in a public place close to your home, or at your residence.
Are mediators only available on weekdays?
Meetings may be held during the daytime, in the evening, or on weekends, depending on your availability and that of the co-mediators.
How are volunteer mediators trained?
Trajet mediators take an initial 21-hour training program, followed by continuing education sessions three or four times per year.
How do I become a mediator?
Contact Trajet and speak to a staff member in charge of citizen mediation, who will inform you of the steps to follow. Note that the basic training course is held based on the team’s needs and not on pre-scheduled dates.
Is this service provided for all types of conflict?
There are two types of conflict for which we do not provide mediation services: workplace conflicts (as they may affect the work organization and thus are better managed through organizational mediation) and family conflicts (for example, around custody rights or support payments).
How much does your mediation service cost?
Our mediation service is free.
Is my neighbour obligated to participate?
Your neighbour is under no obligation to participate in mediation; it is a voluntary process. However, the mediator will explain the advantages of participating in mediation to your neighbour.
Can you help me if my situation is urgent?
We will respond to your request as quickly as possible, but we are not an emergency service.
How long does the mediation process take?
The length of the process may vary. Mediation consists of at least three meetings, which generally take place within the period of one month.
Does mediation work even when the conflict has been going on for a long time?
Yes, mediation can work no matter how long the conflict has been going on.
Can you help me even if I have already sent formal notice to my neighbour?
With formal notice (i.e. in the form of a demand letter), you have chosen a legal path towards potential proceedings; with citizen mediation, you privilege communication and an amicable settlement. If the demand letter is relatively recent, mediation is not appropriate.
What is the mediator’s role?
The role of the mediator is to facilitate communication between the conflicting parties. Mediators are impartial, independent, and have no decision-making powers. The conflicting parties will agree on the best way to resolve their conflict.
What are the advantages of mediation?
The main advantages of mediation are the following:
• Re-establishing communication between the parties in conflict;
• Improving relations between them;
• The reduction of the negative impacts of the event (reduce anxiety, regain confidence, improve quality of life, and so on).
Mediation in Criminal Cases
What are the goals of mediation in criminal cases?
Mediation aims to repair or mitigate the consequences of an offence, to resolve or mitigate the conflict at the source of the offence, and to resolve or mitigate the conflicts created by the offence.
What is the mediator’s role?
The role of the mediator is to facilitate communication between the conflicting parties. Mediators are impartial, independent, and have no decision-making powers. The conflicting parties will agree on the best way to resolve their conflict.
Who can attend the meeting?
Generally only the mediator and the parties involved (the young offender and the victim) attend the meeting. The youth may be accompanied by a parent or relative if and only if the other party agrees.
Who are the victims in this type of mediation?
There are three categories of victims: individual victims (Jane or John Doe), corporate victims (a business) and institutional victims (i.e. a police officer or transportation society employee). Victims freely choose whether they wish to participate in mediation.
Who are the youth involved in this type of mediation?
Any young offender who accepts to participate in this process can do so. Youth may choose to participate in order to explain themselves, to repair harm done and/or to turn their life around).
What are the benefits of mediation?
There are many benefits to mediation. Victims may receive answers to their questions and better understand the act committed, obtain reparations and/or make their peace with the event through decreasing their anxiety or fear. Youth can take action to repair the harm done, apologize, become aware of the consequences of their actions on the victim, make their peace with the event and regain the trust of their loved ones.
How does the mediation process generally end?
The mediation process can end after the meeting between the parties, if they say they are satisfied with how it proceeded and the discussion between them. They can also come to an agreement about an act of reparation for the young offender; however, the feasibility of the agreement must be ensured by the mediator.
When are the meetings held?
eetings are arranged based on the availability of the three parties (the youth, the victim, and the mediator) and can be held daytime, evenings, or weekends.
Where are the meetings held?
Meetings are generally held on the Trajet premises. It is possible, in exceptional cases, to arrange a meeting in a quiet place near the residence of the youth or the victim.
How long does the mediation process take?
The length of the mediation process varies. It consists of at least two meetings, one preparatory meeting and the mediation meeting, which generally take between 45 to 90 minutes. The whole process normally takes place within a one-month period.
YCJA
Does Trajet manage community service for adults?
No, we only manage community service for minors between the ages of 12 to 17 inclusively.
Can my child volunteer with me, in the basement of the church where I volunteer? Can I be his supervisor?
Yes, your child can perform his community service at an organization for which you volunteer. However, in order to avoid conflicts of interest, you cannot be your child’s supervisor.
Who supervises youth during their community service? Will this person be a good influence on them?
The supervisors in the organizations that Trajet works with care about these youth and want to be involved with them. During their community service, supervisors are the reference person for these youth: supervisors will explain the job to them and guide them in their tasks. Their Youth Alternative Justice (YAJ) worker at Trajet will provide regular follow-up with the youth, their supervisor and potentially their parents to ensure that everything is going well.
How long will it take for my community service to start?
The time from your first meeting with your YAJ worker to the beginning of your volunteer service may range from approximately one week to one month, depending on the space available in our volunteer organizations. It is therefore very important that you come to the first meeting offered by your YAJ worker.
Can I do my community service in my neighbourhood?
Our network of host organizations covers the whole island of Montreal. Your YAJ worker will try to accommodate you as much as possible to help you complete your measure. He or she will therefore attempt to find an organization in your neighbourhood or in another convenient location.
Can I travel before my record is closed?
We recommend that you check with your lawyer before leaving the country.
How long will my record be kept?
Your record and information will be kept at Trajet for 2-5 years, according to the law and depending on the type of offence and how it was dealt with. However, your information may be accessible for longer than that at the Quebec Police Information Centre (Centre de renseignements policiers du Québec). We advise that you contact your lawyer for further information. For further information, we invite you to consult Éducaloi’s website: https://www.educaloi.qc.ca/en/jeunesse/capsules/what-youth-record.