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ACA Mentorship Program

The Association of Canadian Archivists (ACA) offers a mentorship program for new archivists, with an option for BIPOC archivists to choose to engage with another BIPOC archivist. The program is run for ACA members by the volunteers of the Membership Committee with the BIPOC Special Interest Section overseeing the matching of BIPOC mentors/mentees.

The goal of the ACA’s mentoring program is to facilitate the integration of new archivists into the Canadian archival community by matching them with mentors who can advise and guide them on career and professional development, workplace environments and professional practice. With the BIPOC to BIPOC mentoring option, the ACA is helping to build a supportive BIPOC network and encourage BIPOC participation in the profession.

Mentors and mentees are matched based primarily on interests noted in their application. While an attempt is made to also match based on geographic location to enable in-person meetings, archivists participate from across the country and find virtual engagements effective too.


Mentorship Program Overview

Applications for the mentorship program open November 15 of each year and close on December 15. Mentors and mentees are paired by early January, and the mentoring relationship continues until December 31.  Once matched, the mentor and mentee decide on the means and frequency of communication.  They are encouraged to meet during the ACA’s annual conference as well.

Mentoring relationships are intended to provide new practitioners with a friendly point of contact within the profession and a safe, open dialogue to ask any unanswered questions about archival work and the professional community. Mentees are encouraged to be forthcoming with their questions as well as conscientious that mentors will be responding within the framework of their own schedules. In turn, the role of mentors is to offer advice and feedback on career development and any related insights from their own experiences.

The program period is for one year; however, the mentoring relationship may continue if both parties agree. Near the end of the year, the Membership Committee will solicit program evaluation from participants.

The Mentorship Program Coordinators are available throughout the year for any questions or feedback from participants at mentorship.program (at) archivists.ca


Mentorship Program Eligibility

Mentees 

Any ACA member who is a student of archival studies, recent graduate of archival studies (within 5 years) or who has recently entered the archival profession, is invited to sign up for a mentor from the Canadian archival community. Due to demand, you can be a mentee just once, in either stream (i.e. a BIPOC mentee can participate twice, once in each stream).

Apply to be a mentee (live Nov. 15-Dec. 15)

Mentors 

Any ACA Member with a commitment to cultivating career development and fostering connections with emerging professionals, and with a minimum of 5 years of post-graduate experience in the archival/information management field.

Apply to be a mentor (live Nov. 15-Dec. 15)

BIPOC to BIPOC Mentorship option

Any archivist who identifies as Black, Indigenous, or Person of Colour (BIPOC) and meets the above mentor/mentee criteria, is invited to apply to be matched with another BIPOC archivist.  To encourage more diversity in the archival profession, the ACA offers the student membership rate to BIPOC mentees who are new professionals and require support to participate. ACA also offers a limited number of complimentary individual memberships to BIPOC mentors, when requested on their application.

Indicate your preference for the BIPOC stream in the above mentor/mentee applications.



Participants’ Testimonials

“I managed to do volunteer work with my mentor which helped me to build my confidence and apply what I’d learned.” – mentee

“I have been telling my classmates who didn’t sign up for the program that they missed a good opportunity.” – mentee

“I wish I had this program when I first started working in archives.” – mentor

“This has been a really positive experience – my mentor and I have been in contact several times, and I am very comfortable approaching him with questions, and asking for advice.” – mentee

“I love having the opportunity to learn from students and those new to the field. If they get 1/10th out of the relationship that I get from them, then I can say "success!" – mentor


More Information

Any questions about the mentorship program, guidelines, or applications may be directed to the Mentorship Program Coordinator at mentorship.program@archivists.ca.

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