One of the hardest things when trying to navigate a system is figuring out how to talk to the right person. In many large organizations and institutions, this is not always straightforward.
First, you’ll need to figure out an
entry point: how do you “get in” to ask your question or get the information you need? If you’re trying to find a way into an organization, here are some starting points you might consider:
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General contact form, email or phone number: An obvious starting point is the contact page on the organization’s website. Here, you might find a general email address, phone number or contact form. If there is a phone number, this will often be the quickest way to get a response. If you need to send an email or fill out a contact form, try to be as specific as possible as to why you are contacting them. This will cut down on the time it takes for them to figure out who to direct your question to.
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Service/patient navigator: Many organizations have staff dedicated to supporting people with navigating their services. On their website, look at their staff or email directory to see if anyone has this title. Or, try calling their general phone line and ask if you can be referred to a navigator.
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Client feedback/complaints process: Most large organizations will have some sort of online feedback or complaints process. Look for a page on their website with information about the organization’s process.
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Ombudsperson: Many government-run systems (such as healthcare and education) have dedicated ombudsperson. An ombudsperson is someone who promotes fairness and accountability within a system by investigating complaints and systemic issues. You can find information about the ombudsperson in your province, territory or region by searching for “ombudsperson” or “ombudsman” and the name of your area.
In some cases, you might already know that you need to reach a specific decision-maker to advocate for your issue. In this case, here are some ideas for finding the right decision-maker:
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Organizational chart or directory: Many large organizations will publish an organizational chart or staff directory on their website. By reviewing the job titles of staff, you may be able to identify who the right person is to reach out to.
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Leadership page: Most organizations will have a webpage that lists the members of their leadership team. You might not always need to reach the most senior executive. Often, it makes more sense to be more targeted by reaching out to the executive or manager who is specifically responsible for your issue area.
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Use your network: If you already have connections at another organization in the same system, ask them if the decision-maker is that you should reach
out to.
