Community Service Hours
Community Service Hours: Changes and Accommodations for 2020-2021
For the 2020-21 school year, the Ministry of Education has revised the 40-hour community involvement graduation requirement so that students will not be adversely impacted by the ongoing challenges related to COVID-19.
How do these changes affect graduating students?
For students graduating in 2020-21, the 40 hour graduation requirement has been reduced to a minimum of 20 hours of community involvement activities.The Ministry recognizes that COVID-19 is presenting ongoing barriers to many graduating students attempting to complete this graduation requirement. The new requirement of 20 hours will help graduating students meet this compulsory requirement.
Increased flexibility for how all secondary students can earn hours in 2020-21
At the Principal’s discretion, schools may choose to waive the following restrictions and allow for increased flexibility for ways students can earn hours towards their community involvement.
1) Previously, students could not earn hours towards their community involvement during the time allotted for the instructional program on a school day. For 2020-21 and with prior approval from the principal/designate, a student may have an opportunity to perform some community involvement during their instructional program day.
2) Previously, duties normally performed in the home were not deemed eligible. For 2020-21 and with prior approval from the principal/designate, some duties performed at home may be deemed eligible (i.e., walking a younger child to and from school, helping younger siblings with school work)
3) Previously, income earned from a part time job were not deemed eligible for community involvement. For 2020-21, and with prior approval from the principal/designate, students 14 years and older can count up to a maximum of 10 hours from paid employment towards their earned hours. Inorder for employment income to be eligible, students will be required to complete a reflection exercise indicating how their work contributed to the service of others.
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.
Students are encouraged to think about creative ways to support the community that do not put themselves or others at risk. This may include volunteer activities that can be completed at home or online (virtual volunteering- https://volunteer.ca/index.php?MenuItemID=422 ).
Some examples of possible activities are:
A letter-writing campaign to seniors living in a nursing home
Sewing masks to donate to social agencies
Virtual tutoring to help students (including ESL students) practice reading, communication and/or other skills
Students may also visit Volunteer Ottawa, Charity Village or SparkOntario, or contact a charitable organization in their community to explore current volunteer opportunities.
Please pick up your Community Involvement form in student services. Please refer to the back of the page for more information on eligible and ineligible activities.
If you have any questions about Community Involvement Hours, including whether or not an activity is acceptable, please contact your Guidance Counsellor.
For the 2020-21 school year, the Ministry of Education has revised the 40-hour community involvement graduation requirement so that students will not be adversely impacted by the ongoing challenges related to COVID-19.
How do these changes affect graduating students?
For students graduating in 2020-21, the 40 hour graduation requirement has been reduced to a minimum of 20 hours of community involvement activities.The Ministry recognizes that COVID-19 is presenting ongoing barriers to many graduating students attempting to complete this graduation requirement. The new requirement of 20 hours will help graduating students meet this compulsory requirement.
Increased flexibility for how all secondary students can earn hours in 2020-21
At the Principal’s discretion, schools may choose to waive the following restrictions and allow for increased flexibility for ways students can earn hours towards their community involvement.
1) Previously, students could not earn hours towards their community involvement during the time allotted for the instructional program on a school day. For 2020-21 and with prior approval from the principal/designate, a student may have an opportunity to perform some community involvement during their instructional program day.
2) Previously, duties normally performed in the home were not deemed eligible. For 2020-21 and with prior approval from the principal/designate, some duties performed at home may be deemed eligible (i.e., walking a younger child to and from school, helping younger siblings with school work)
3) Previously, income earned from a part time job were not deemed eligible for community involvement. For 2020-21, and with prior approval from the principal/designate, students 14 years and older can count up to a maximum of 10 hours from paid employment towards their earned hours. Inorder for employment income to be eligible, students will be required to complete a reflection exercise indicating how their work contributed to the service of others.
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.
Students are encouraged to think about creative ways to support the community that do not put themselves or others at risk. This may include volunteer activities that can be completed at home or online (virtual volunteering- https://volunteer.ca/index.php?MenuItemID=422 ).
Some examples of possible activities are:
A letter-writing campaign to seniors living in a nursing home
Sewing masks to donate to social agencies
Virtual tutoring to help students (including ESL students) practice reading, communication and/or other skills
Students may also visit Volunteer Ottawa, Charity Village or SparkOntario, or contact a charitable organization in their community to explore current volunteer opportunities.
Please pick up your Community Involvement form in student services. Please refer to the back of the page for more information on eligible and ineligible activities.
If you have any questions about Community Involvement Hours, including whether or not an activity is acceptable, please contact your Guidance Counsellor.
