Did you know you must complete 40 hours of volunteer work to graduate?
For the 2020-21 school year, the ministry is revising the 40-hour community involvement graduation requirement so that students will not be adversely impacted by the ongoing challenges related to COVID-19.
For students graduating in the 2020-21 school year, the community involvement graduation requirement will be reduced to a minimum of 20 hours of community involvement activities. This recognizes that graduating students have had barriers to earning their community involvement hours last school year and there may be continued barriers this school year.
All other students must complete 40 hours of community involvement to graduate with the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. You can start accumulating hours in the summer before grade 9. Try to complete your 40 hours by the end of grade 10.
Students aged 14 years and older can count up to a maximum of 10 hours from paid employment towards their earned hours at the discretion of the principal. Students counting paid employment towards their graduation requirement will be required to complete a reflection exercise indicating how their work contributed to the service for others. Students can consider the following questions when submitting their reflection exercise:
How have you been able to serve your community through your employment opportunities?
Has this experience impacted any of your personal, academic or career goals? Why? Why not?
Think of volunteering as an opportunity to learn more about yourself and possible career opportunities. Gain self-confidence and work experience that will help you get jobs in the future.
Students: Please submit completed paperwork to your school guidance team.
Ministry guidelines have established eligible and ineligible
activities for the community involvement requirement. The organization you are
volunteering for must meet the following criteria listed below.
| Eligible Activities | Ineligible Activities |
| supports not-for-profit agencies, institutions or foundations. | student activities that displace paid workers |
| structured programs to promote tutoring, mentoring, visiting and coaching. | any activity that normally requires pay (for example, babysitting). |
| supports work that is global in nature. | Take Our Kids to Work experience |
| promotes environmental awareness. | any required activities of a course or program in which a student can earn a credit. |
| promotes and contributes to the health and wellbeing of any group. | activities that are family responsibilities (for example, regular chores). |
| affiliated with a club, religious organization, arts, cultural association, or political organization with the goal of making a positive contribution to the community. | court-ordered community service programs. any student under 14 in any working environment (except health and residential care environments). |
| | any activity that provides direct financial revenue or gain to the student or to the student's immediate family. any association with an organization or activity that does not comply with the policies of the ministry, the Peel board and human rights legislation. |
Here are some great places to start looking for volunteer opportunities:
- Check out our volunteer job board.
- Contact Volunteering Peel, a student-run organization that works with community groups and event organizers to provide volunteers where needed.
- Contact Volunteer MBC , a volunteer centre that promotes volunteering within Peel region and offers a volunteer referral service for all ages.
Phone: 905-238-2622 or visit www.volunteermbc.org.
Are you a community organization looking for student volunteers? Fill out a 
volunteer form and email it to us.
Resources
Community Involvement Activity Record Form