Regional Connections Adapting To Increasing Diversity Of Newcomers To Winkler

For more than a decade Regional Connections has offered English classes, employment services and helped connect newcomers to the community.

Last year alone Regional Connections served 1,298 new clients in their three centres including Winkler, Morden and Altona.

Program Coordinator Steve Reynolds explains they've worked with clients from 127 different countries and 35 different first languages.

"One of the trends we see is increasing diversity each year, a greater variety of source countries," Reynolds says. "And that's been really positive within our organization, integration works better, even English classes work better, when people need to communicate with each other in English."

Executive Director Laurie Sawatzky says their on-going caseload for an average year, including returning clients, is anywhere between 4,000 and 5,000.

"There is this settlement continuum that can last anywhere from three to five years or longer," she explains.

She notes the Pembina Valley has also been a secondary migration as new Canadians arrive in Winnipeg, but find employment in the Pembina Valley.

And Regional Connections continues to grow and adapt to serve the thousands of newcomers.

The organization recently brought all Winkler staff and classes under one roof at their expanded 295 Perry Street location.

In the past, classes were also run out of the former Courtesy Building on Main Street. To cut down on any added confusion, Sawatzky explains they've also rolled the programs of South Central Immigrant Services and Pembina Valley Language/Education for Adults under the Regional Connections banner.

She notes a "one-stop shop" makes life easier for clients.

"It's a model we use in Morden and Altona and it works very, very well," Sawatzky says.