Community Involvement Hours
All students working towards an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) must complete 40 hours of Community Involvement.
Students can start accumulating their community involvement hours in the summer before entering Grade 9.
Students may wish to consider virtual volunteering, such as connecting with seniors, organizing virtual fundraising events and facilitating discussions with newcomer youth. Outdoor volunteer opportunities could include, for example, picking up litter. Volunteer opportunities, such as connecting young people to be technology mentors to seniors, can be found through agencies such as Volunteer Durham and Youth Opportunities Ontario.
These hours spent in the community are meant to encourage students to:
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Develop an awareness and understanding of civic responsibility
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Understand the role they play and contributions they can make to support and strengthen the community
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Learn more about themselves and possible career opportunities
Community Involvement Activity Record
Make sure you keep your Community Involvement Activity Record forms up-to-date with the proper information and signatures. You must submit your completed records to your school for data entry.
Requirements
These community activities must:
- Be completed outside scheduled class time
- Not be a part of a credit course
- Be unpaid
- Total a minimum of 40 hours
- Be complete by the end of grade 12
Opportunities
If you're unsure what you want to do for your community hours, check out Volunteer Durham and Youth Opportunities Ontario.
Getting started
Follow these steps to begin:
Step 1 |
Students younger than 18 should plan an activity with the help of their parents/guardians. The activity should involve services to others. It must fall within the guiding principles DDSB has established and be identified on the DDSB list of eligible activities and examples. |
Step 2 |
Confirm the details of the activity with the organizer responsible. |
Step 3 |
Complete the Community Involvement Activities form. Submit the form to your school. You will need a principal's signature if the activity is not on the DDSB list of examples or if the activity is one of "school community service." |
Step 4 |
Complete your planned activity and have your Community Involvement Activities form signed by the community organizer. |
Step 5 |
Repeat these steps until you have 40 hours. Submit your records to your school for data entry. |
Eligible activities
The Ministry and DDSB have developed a list of activities students may (eligible) or may not (ineligible) choose.
Eligible activities and examples |
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These guiding principles are intended to assist students and parents/guardians in determining if an activity is within an approved area:
If an activity does not fall within the guidelines, school principals can approve or reject the activity or event. Examples: The following list shows examples of activities that are suitable.
If a student wants to participate in an activity or event that is not clearly within the list of examples and does not conform to the guiding principles, the student must submit a letter detailing the proposed activity or nature of the participation and event to the school principal. The principal will forward the request to the DDSB. The student will be notified if the request is approved or not. Students should not start the activity until the student gets permission. If the request is denied or the hours are done before approval, the hours will not count toward the student's community involvement requirement. |
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Ineligible activities |
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An ineligible activity noted by the Ministry is an activity that:
An ineligible activity noted by the DDSB is an activity that:
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Roles and responsibilities
All parties should ensure that the activities completed are not part of the ineligible activities and that they fall within the DDSB's guiding principles and are identified in the list of eligible examples.
Other responsibilities by role include:
Students |
Students are responsible for selecting an appropriate activity, completing all required documentation and their 40 hours with a positive work ethic and respect for others. This includes being on time, dressing and grooming appropriately, listening to instruction, following through, and maintaining confidentiality. Students are also responsible for asking questions if they don't understand something. |
DDSB |
The DDSB is required to share information with students, parents/guardians and the broader community. DDSB is required to develop the list of eligible activities and the appropriate forms and protocols involved in the program, and for the collection and storage of personal information. |
Principals |
School principals are responsible for sharing information and documentation with students, parents/guardians and the broader community. They are also responsible for forwarding special requests to the DDSB for consideration and ensuring that completed hours are recorded on official student transcripts. |
Parents/guardians |
Parents/guardians should help students select an activity. They are also encouraged to get in touch with the community sponsor and principal if they have questions or concerns. If students are under 18, parents/guardians must sign the Notification of Planned Community Involvement and the Completion of Community Involvement Activity Record(s). |
Community sponsors |
One of the purposes of this program is to develop strong ties between students and their community, and to foster these relationships. Students may ask organizations and people to provide sponsorship. If the sponsor agrees, the sponsor must provide training, equipment and any special preparation required for the activity. Students must always be in a safe environment. The overseer must also verify the dates and number of hours completed on the Completion of Community Involvement Activity Record. |
Insurance
Insurance information for students and community sponsors:
Students |
Students and parents/guardians are encouraged to buy Student Accident Insurance. This is available through our schools. |
Community sponsors |
The DDSB expects that all community sponsors will provide students with proper instruction, put safety precautions in place, and train and supervise students. Students are covered by the DDSB's liability insurance while they are performing the required 40 hours. Community sponsors are also protected by the DDSB's liability insurance for claims that arise out of student activities for organizations. For example, if during the 40 hours a student damages or injures a third party and a law suit results, the DDSB's insurance will protect the student and the community sponsor. Sponsors are responsible for ensuring that their liability insurances protects them for their involvement in the program. The DDSB's insurance does not provide coverage for the negligence of sponsors. |