Community Involvement Hours

Important Update: Amendments to the Community Involvement Hours for the 2021/22 school year during COVID-19 for Graduating Students ONLY. The community involvement graduation requirement of 40 hours will be restored in 2022-23.

Students Graduating in the 2021-2022 School Year
For the 2021-22 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 2021-22 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. Community involvement hours that have been completed will be recorded on the report cards of graduating students.

Increased Flexibility for all Secondary Students
In addition, the ministry is providing increased flexibility in how all secondary students can earn hours in 2021-22. As approved by your school’s principal, students may count the following towards their community involvement hours:

up to 10 hours of paid employment if a student is 14 years or older and completes a reflection exercise demonstrating how their work contributed to their community
community involvement during school time, for example, walking a younger child to and from school or helping younger siblings with school work
duties normally performed at home, for example, helping an elderly relative with errands or providing after school care for a sibling

Earning Community Involvement Hours – Opportunities for Students during COVID-19

There has never been a time of more need in our community and we know that many of our WCDSB students want to volunteer and support their local community. Students should continue to seek out and accumulate community involvement hours in accordance with school board policies and procedures, keeping in mind local public health unit recommendations to ensure students are volunteering in a safe way.

The following is a list of suggestions for students:

Consider virtual volunteering such as connecting with seniors, organizing virtual fundraising events and facilitating discussions with newcomer youth
Support neighbours in need by cutting grass, raking, shoveling snow, running errands
Assist younger siblings with school work
Create a window display to increase community morale
Write letters to people in senior residences
Sew masks for front line workers
Provide virtual academic and/or language development support online for students
Virtually teach others a skill you have learned during this time at home
Online reading buddy for younger students or students practicing their English or French language skills
Virtual faith-based activities
Visit: Volunteer Action Centre for opportunities in our local community

Reminder: Documentation attesting to the completion of each community involvement activity, in the form of the Online Community Involvement Form, must be submitted.