All students will require to complete a minimum of 40 Volunteer Community Hours in order to be eligble to receive their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). Volunteer hours are completed outside the regular school day hours. The Following are list of approved activities:
HELP YOUR NEIGHBOURS
• provide service to seniors or to others who have difficulty leaving their homes – raking, shovelling (no snow blowers), shopping (students should not drive vehicles for this purpose), visiting, reading, meal preparation
• assist a neighbour with child care – take child to the park, watch child while parent prepares dinner
• tutor younger students – read, take to library, help with homework
• assist neighbours with pet sitting, animal care
HELP YOUR COMMUNITY
• volunteer at a seniors’ home/centre – visit, read, play cards or board games, take seniors for walks, make crafts
• help organize local community events – food drives/banks
• take part in environmental initiatives – recycling campaigns, park cleanup, planting trees & flower beds (students should not use power tools – lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, wood chippers, etc.)
• get involved in charitable activities – walk-a-thons, daffodil sales, canvassing for non-profit organizations
• assist with sports teams but not as a player– community leagues, parks and recreation programs
• volunteer in leadership roles with community groups – youth groups
• volunteer in hospitals, libraries or any charitable, not-for-profit organization
• volunteer with social service or animal welfare agencies – Red Cross, United Way, Humane Society
• get involved in the democratic political process – scrutineering, canvassing, campaigning
• offer service through religious communities/ places of worship
• assist with literacy initiatives – at local libraries, day care centres, community centres
HELP YOUR SCHOOL OR OTHER SCHOOLS
• help with sports teams – run skills drills, assist coach or team but not as a team player
• help in the library – shelve books, tidy up, change bulletin boards
• tutor other students – help with homework, review difficult concepts
• assist students with special needs – act as peer buddy
• assist with the planning of arts or athletic events – work on publicity, set up for track meets, sell tickets, check coats, offer technical support
• facilitate school events such as fun fairs, parent information nights - greet visitors, set up and supervise booths, give tours, serve refreshments
• assist with environmental activities – encourage recycling, plant trees/flowers, work on grounds crews (students should not use power tools)
• participate in charitable initiatives – food and clothing drives, holiday drives for toys or food
• sit on school councils, committees – school governance, be a peer mentor/mediator, help with orientation of grade 9 students