A new partnership between the Altona & Area Archive and Regional Connections is helping students gain valuable volunteer experience while discovering the history of the community they now call home.
Gr. 10 student Justina Jansen pores through old community newspapers at the Altona Archives. Through a partnership with Regional Connections Immigrant Services, she and other newcomer students have been helping the archives with their preservation work
Through Regional Connections’ Young Employer Program at W.C. Miller Collegiate, students are being connected with local organizations where they can build skills, strengthen their resumes, and become more engaged in the community. One of those organizations is the Altona archives, where students have begun volunteering and assisting with archival projects.
For Regional Connections staff member Paloma Morales, the archives was a natural fit.
“We started a new program focused on teaching students about resumes, cover letters, and interview skills,” she explained. “Part of the program is offering volunteer opportunities, so I reached out to different organizations in Altona and found the archives.”
Morales said she was surprised that more people weren’t familiar with the work being done there.
“A lot of people don’t know about the Altona archives, and I think that’s strange because they do amazing work,” she said. “For students, especially those who are new to Canada, it’s a chance to learn about the community and feel like they are part of it.”
One of those students is Justina Jansen, Gr. 10. She said the opportunity appealed to her because it offered something new and different. While helping at the archives, she has been learning more about the history of the Mennonite community in the region.
“I didn’t expect there would be that much about Mennonite history,” Jansen said. “That’s also my story because I’m Mennonite.”
Morales believes the experience benefits both the students and the archives. Newcomer students gain volunteer hours, practical experience, and a deeper understanding of local history, while the archives gains much-needed assistance and new connections within the community.
“When you live in a place, you want to feel like you’re part of it,” Morales said. “I hope this is the first step for other students to come, learn about Altona, and volunteer in this beautiful community.”
The partnership comes at an important time for the archives, which has been working to raise awareness and recruit additional volunteers.
Board member Bonnie Friesen and volunteer Liz Wheeler say the organization has seen renewed interest in recent months through its Library of Memories fundraising and awareness campaign. Since February, volunteers have been meeting with local businesses, selling advertising in their historical feature pages, and encouraging community members to learn more about the archives.
The increased visibility has already had an impact. Monday afternoon open houses, once sparsely attended, have recently attracted as many as 10 visitors at a time.
“If you just raise awareness, it makes a big difference,” said Friesen.
The organization currently has six board members and eight volunteers, but organizers say there is room for more people to get involved. In addition to volunteering, community members can support the archives by donating historical materials such as photographs, journals, family records, and other documents that help preserve the region’s history.
Anyone interested in volunteering, donating materials, or learning more about the archives can visit during its Monday afternoon drop-ins hours (1-3 p.m., Golden West Plaza) or follow the Altona & Area Archives on Facebook.
For both the archives and Regional Connections, the partnership is proving that preserving history isn’t just about the past, it’s also about helping build stronger connections for the future.
