Community Service Hours

A SECONDARY SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENT

Students must complete a minimum of 40 hours of community service activities as part of the requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma, but community service is more than just a diploma requirement for our students. As a Catholic community, we are called to apply Catholic social teachings in all that we do, to be people who “transform the world through witness, faith, innovation, and action”. The purpose of the student community service requirement is to foster an awareness and understanding of social and civic responsibility and to grow in Christian calling to service and reflection.

Students can begin to accumulate volunteer hours during the summer break before they enter Grade 9. Once the student completes all or a significant part of the 40 hours, the completed community hours tracking form (available in Guidance) should be returned to the Guidance secretary.

Students who are in their graduating year are strongly encouraged to finish their hours by May 1 of their graduating year, to ensure that this information is available to both the University and College Application Centres. Any hours completed after the end of June are too late to be sent to the application centres and conditional acceptances could be revoked.

For community involvement ideas, students are encouraged to visit: www.40hours.ca , and www.toronto-charities.ca.  

WHAT IS COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT?

As a general guide, community involvement activities are activities/jobs that benefit the community and that the organization would otherwise not pay you to do.

The purpose of the student community involvement requirement is to encourage students to:

• Foster an awareness and understanding of social and civic responsibility.

• Experience the contributions they can make to support and strengthen their communities.

• Develop transferable skills and explore different sectors and potential career opportunities.

• Prepare students for work and civic life in a globalized, digital age.

• Reinforce the Catholic School Graduate Expectations of being a caring community member and responsible citizen.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Participation in an activity that promotes:

• Catholic moral teachings, gospel values, and ethical standards.

• A benefit to servicing the community.

• Conforms to the ethical standards of the TCDSB and Ministry of Education.

• Positive environmental awareness or ethical work of a global nature.

• Community involvement in a variety of settings such as businesses, healthcare institutions, not-for-profit organizations, public sector institutions, First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities or organizations, and informal settings, such as religious, cultural events and community activities.

• Public sector institutions, like town, city or region.

• Offices of local, provincial or federal government representatives.

GUIDELINES

Please note the following requirements for eligible community involvement activities:

• They must not be part of a credit course.

• They must be completed outside of scheduled class time.*

• They must be unpaid.*

• They cannot be conducted in a commercial setting.

Students cannot perform an activity at a place of business by working for “free”.

Minister’s Certificate of Recognition for Community Involvement

Students who go above and beyond in their volunteer work during high school can earn a Minister’s Certificate of Recognition for Community Involvement when they graduate, beginning with students graduating in the 2025-2026 school year. This new certificate celebrates your dedication to helping others and for completing more than 50 volunteer hours during high school.

There are three categories for the certificate:

• Bronze: 50 to 99 volunteer hours

• Silver: 100 to 199 volunteer hours

• Gold: 200+ volunteer hours

The Minister’s Certificate of Recognition for Community Involvement recognizes a student’s civic engagement, leadership and community spirit. This reinforces the Catholic School Graduate Expectations of being a caring community member and responsible citizen.

The certificate can also help a student stand out when applying for jobs, college or university programs, apprenticeships, and scholarships.

• Reinforce the Catholic School Graduate Expectations of being a caring community member and responsible citizen.

Schools will share timelines by which eligible graduating students will need to submit their community involvement hour documentation in order to receive a Certificate of Recognition as part of the graduation process.

For more information, visit Use High School Volunteer Hours To Build Your Future or contact your guidance teacher.

GRADUATING STUDENTS MUST HAVE THEIR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT HOURS COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED NO LATER THAN THE LAST FRIDAY OF APRIL TO BE ELIGIBLE.

Eligible and Ineligible Community Involvement Activities

Community involvement is:

• An event or activity designed to be of benefit to the community.

• An activity not performed for pay or credit.

• A constructive contribution to the community.

The following list provides examples of community involvement activities that are suitable for selection if within the intent and spirit of the applicable guidelines and ethical standards:

• Fundraising: Canvassing and assisting with the organization of events for the benefit of the community, such as walkathons, bazaars, and gala events.

• Sports/recreation: Coaching and helping to organize tournaments, sporting events, track meets and summer games.

• Community events/projects: Helping to organize winter carnivals, parades, summer fairs, and food drives.

• Environmental projects: Participating in community clean-up, flower/tree planting, recycling, general beautification projects and activities.

• Community service work with seniors: Assisting in a seniors’ residence, such as serving snacks, helping with activities, portering, or participating in visiting and reading programs.

• Committee work: Participation on advisory boards, neighborhood associations, and regional associations that provide community service.

• Religious activities: Community service in catechism classes, children’s liturgy programs, special events, and youth groups.

• School community service: Service within the school community that provides benefit to others and takes place outside the regular school day.

• Youth programs: Assisting in the operation of youth programs such as scouts, guides, boys & girls club, Recreation centre activities, breakfast programs, March Break programs, leaders-in-training, summer playground activities, and camps.

• Literacy initiatives: Assisting at local libraries, daycare centres, community centres, etc.

• Work with animals: Assisting with animal care, such as at local animal shelters.

• Arts and culture: Assistance at a gallery, performing arts production or program, or community arts program.

• Activities for individuals: Any community involvement activity that assists someone who requires assistance with shopping, tutoring, light snow removal (no use of snowblower), housekeeping, writing letters or transcribing, or hospital visitation.

• Non-profit/charitable organizations: Activities that support the work of an organization.

The Ministry of Education and Training (Policy/Program Memorandum No.124A – April 27, 1999) has developed a list of activities that may not be chosen and that are therefore ineligible activities. An ineligible activity is an activity that:

• Is a requirement of a class or course or program in which the student is enrolled (e.g., co-operative education course, experiential learning activities).

• Takes place during the time allotted for the instructional program on a school day. However, an activity that takes place during the student’s lunch breaks or “spare” periods is permissible.

• Contravenes the minimum age requirements to work in or visit a workplace stated in regulations made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

• Contravenes any other applicable legislation, regulation or policy.

• Contravenes the policies and procedures of the organization that is supervising the student’s community involvement activities.

• Involves activities for a court-ordered program (e.g., community-service program for young offenders, probationary program).

• Involves activities that promote discrimination, harassment, or puts the safety of the student or others at risk.

• Involves the administration of any type or form of medication or medical procedure to other persons.

• Involves handling of substances classed as “designated substances” under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

• Requires the knowledge of a tradesperson whose trade is regulated by the provincial government.

• Involves banking or the handling of securities, or the handling of valuables such as jewelry, works of art, antiques.

• Consists of duties performed in the home (i.e. daily chores) or personal recreational activities.

• Would normally be performed for wages by a person in the workplace.

• Involves the operation of a vehicle, power tools, or scaffolding.

Additional Ineligible Activities

The TCDSB has determined that the following are also ineligible activities, in addition to those that the Ministry has listed as ineligible:

1. Any activity that provides direct financial benefit or gain to the student or to the student’s immediate family.

2. Any association with an organization or an organizational activity that does not comply with the ethical standards, policies, procedures and regulations of both the Ministry of Education, as well as the moral teachings and gospel values of the TCDSB.

Please feel free to Review all up -to - date Community Service Guidelines on the TCDSB Website 

https://www.tcdsb.org/o/teachingandlearning/page/community-involvement

MPSJ Community Involvement Forms

​Please print off the forms below and have them filled out, signed by all parties, and submitted to the guidance office via email.  

Please send your email to our guidance secretary responsible for your last name

 Ms. L. Querin ( A - L) ----  loreen.querin@tcdsb.org

Ms. V. D'Costa (M - Z) ----  veena.dcosta@tcdsb.org

Please find the updated forms on this link :  https://files-backend.assets.thrillshare.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/2947/Teachingandlearning/8dc0ce9c-67a9-4b38-9dca-a5141d039338/Student-Community-Involvement-Form---TCDSB.pdf?disposition=inline