What are community involvement activities?
Community involvement or community service is more commonly called “volunteering.”
Volunteering is freely giving your time and labour to a cause or activity that benefits your community. By volunteering, you can:
- Earn work experience to add to your resume.
- Build transferable skills.
- Explore different sectors and career options.
- Network and get professional references for future job applications.
In Ontario, all high school students must show that they’ve completed at least 40 hours of community involvement activities to graduate. You can earn volunteer hours in the summer before entering grade 9. You can complete your volunteer hours all at once or throughout your high school career.
What counts as volunteer hours to graduate from high school?
Each school board in Ontario is responsible for determining what activities count towards your hours and which don’t. Each board also has its process for recording, submitting, and approving your hours. Check your school board’s website or your school’s guidance counsellor's office for more information.
Your high school will have to approve your proposed activity before you start and also give you a volunteer hours form like this one.
Although each school board decides what activities count, and your specific school is responsible for approving your activity, The Ministry of Education has set general guidelines for ineligible activities. This means they will not be approved or count towards your 40 hours.
Here is a list of ineligible activities from the Government of Ontario:
Activities that:
- are a requirement of a class, course or program you are enrolled in (such as a co-op program).
- take place during school hours (not including lunch breaks or “spare” periods).
- would typically be done for wages or a salary by a person in that workplace or organization.
- are duties that you would normally do in your house, such as daily chores or personal recreation activities.
- are part of a court-ordered program (for example, a community service program for young offenders).
Your volunteer opportunity should not have you:
- operating a vehicle, power tools or scaffolding.
- giving any type of medication or doing medical procedures.
- handling “designated substances” such as arsenic, asbestos, lead or mercury.
- involved in banking or the handling of securities or valuable items, such as jewelry, art or antiques.
- needing the knowledge of a regulated tradesperson.
- involved in activities that promote discrimination, harassment or put the safety of yourself or others at risk.
Where can I volunteer?
According to the Government of Ontario, you can earn your community involvement activities hours by volunteering in many different settings, like:
- Local businesses.
- Hospitals, long-term care, retirement homes and other healthcare institutions.
- Not-for-profit organizations.
- Public sector institutions, like your town, city or region.
- Offices of local, provincial or federal government representatives.
- First Nation, Métis and Inuit communities or organizations.
- Religious, cultural events and community activities.
Always check with your school to see which volunteer settings are eligible before starting.
If you don’t know where to start, find a volunteer centre near you through the Ontario Volunteer Centre Network. Volunteer centres can offer in-person support by matching you to available volunteer opportunities and also post local volunteer listings through their websites.
If you want to volunteer for a specific place or cause, here are some places to consider reaching out to directly:
- Find charities and non-profit organizations through Charity Village’s volunteer listings (make sure the filters are set to “unpaid volunteer position” and “40 hour high school program”)
- Public libraries
- Parks and Recreation Associations (Friends of Ontario Parks)
- Community centres (health centres, senior centres, cultural centres, women’s centres, etc.)
- Churches, mosques, temples, and other faith-based organizations
- Animal shelters (Ontario SPCA and Humane Society)
- Food banks (volunteer opportunities are listed at the end of this article)
- Disaster relief organizations
- Human and civil rights groups (Amnesty International)
- Crisis and helpline support (LGBT YouthLine, Assaulted Women’s Helpline)
How do I start volunteering?
The best way to secure a volunteer opportunity is by directly contacting the organization or group you’re interested in supporting. Find the organization’s contact information, send an email explaining who you are and why you’re interested in volunteering with them, and ask if they have any opportunities.
Sometimes, you’ll be able to start right after an interview!
Other times, the organization may have a formal application process and even ask you to participate in training. This is usually the case if you’re trying to help vulnerable groups, like at a hospital or through a helpline.