West Carleton SS

Updated for the 2023-2024 School Year:

The purpose of engaging in community involvement is to encourage students to develop an awareness and understanding of civic responsibility and of the role they can play and the contributions they can make in supporting and strengthening their communities.

For the 2023-2024 school year the Ministry has updated the guidelines outlining the 40 hour Community Involvement graduation requirement returning to pre-covid type eligible activities. 

No Longer Eligible

The flexible options for students to earn hours that were introduced and allowed by the Ministry of Education from April 2020 to June 2023 as a result of the impact of Covid ended at the end of the 2022-2023 school year.  

The following previously allowed flexible activities are NO LONGER Eligible:

• Activities that take place during the school day (e.g. walking a younger neighbour or sibling to and from school, helping younger siblings with their homework, etc.)

• Activities that include up to 10 hours of paid work. Students must complete a reflection exercise sharing how their work contributed to service for others (e.g.g grocery work during the pandemic, etc.)

• Activities normally completed at home (e.g. students could help an elderly relative with errands, providing after-school care for a sibling, etc.)

Allowable Community Involvement Opportunities

Before starting a volunteer activity students should make sure the activity meets the criteria for acceptable opportunities as outlined in School/OCDSB guidelines.  The school and OCDSB websites list many volunteer opportunities from organizations which do not need prior approval.  For other opportunities, students should seek Community Involvement opportunities with Non-profit Organizations which normally do not need prior approval. For other activities that you are unsure as to their appropriateness, please seek the approval of school administration before engaging in the activity.

Community Involvement hours must fall into one of these three categories:

1. Not-for-profit: includes voluntary activities for any not-for-profit institution or foundation that would not displace a paid worker. 

If students are considering any of the activities that would fall into the second or third category(For-Profit or Other), pre-approval by the principal is required.  The following require supporting information describing the organization’s activity that is a non-profit/charitable community service.

2. For-profit: includes voluntary activities that are charitable-based for any business or organization that would not displace a paid worker. The actIf volunteers are enhancing a product/service being sold/provided by a for-profit business designed to make it more attractive and/or a better experience for clients, then it is not in keeping with the spirit of community service and would not be an approved activity. (pre-approval required)

Please note: For-profit businesses/organizations that run various camps or training programs do not qualify for Community Involvement hours.

3. Other: community support that you feel warrants consideration.  In this case, please submit a brief written summary that explains how this experience meets the spirit and expectations of community involvement as identified above. (pre-approval required)

Ineligible Activities

The following is a list of activities that may not be chosen as community involvement activities. These are referred to as ineligible activities.

An ineligible activity is an activity that:

• is a requirement of a class, course, or program in which the student is enrolled (e.g., cooperative 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

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

• involves the operation of a vehicle, power tools, or scaffolding

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

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

• involves banking, the handling of securities, or the handling of valuable items such as jewellery, works of art, or antiques

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

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