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Community Hours

Students in Ontario are required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement as part of the secondary school diploma requirements. Students are able to start accumulating community involvement hours in the summer before they enter grade 9.

For the past two years, the Ministry provided temporary, flexible ways for graduating students to obtain community involvement hours to meet their graduation requirement during the pandemic. At principals’ discretion, students were previously able to earn hours:

  • During instructional time on a school day;
  • Through duties normally performed at home (e.g., helping an elderly relative with an errand or a sibling with homework);
  • From paid employment for students 14 years and older (to a maximum of 10).

These temporarily eligible activities were revoked in the July 28, 2023 update to PPM 124 Ontario Secondary School Diploma requirement: community involvement activities.

Community Involvement hours must fall into one of these categories:

  • Not-for-profit: includes voluntary activities for any not-for-profit institution or foundation that would not displace a paid worker.
  • For-profit: includes voluntary activities that are charitable-based for any business or organization that would not displace a paid worker. If 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.
  • 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.

If students are considering any of the activities that would fall into the second or third category above, approval by the Principal or designate at your school is required.

Please Note: Volunteer hours CANNOT be earned during instructional time on a school day nor through duties normally performed at home (e.g., helping an elderly relative with an errand or a sibling with homework).

You can always pick up a Community Involvement Log Sheet from Student Services to fill out. Please ensure the organization, activity, supervisor name/contact information is entered clearly. Please have it signed by your parent/guardian if you are under 18.

For the latest updates, please visit the OCDSB website to learn about

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