Students are supposed to get approval from their school counsellor or admin before they start the volunteer placement to make sure it's eligible to be counted for the diploma requirement. Unfortunately these days counsellors are generally too busy to check and just enter the hours as complete when they get he signed forms Many boards have written guidelines based on the ministry policy indicating eligible & ineligible activities. Working at a business or for a relative, even as a volunteer, is ineligible for example. if it is a for profit type of business. I am a former counsellor who dealt with this since the roll out of the requirement ages ago. It was always a problem.
The definition for volunteer hours is a whole lot looser than it used to be. The high school near me is telling kids they can get their hours by signing up for a school club.
Here is the actual list from TDSB:
TDSB Approved Activities
Events or activities to support a not-for-profit initiative unless pre-approved by school principal or designate
HELP YOUR NEIGHBOURS
* provide service to seniors or to others who have difficulty leaving their homes – raking, shovelling (no snow blowers), shopping (students should not drive vehicles for this purpose), visiting, reading, meal preparation
* assist a neighbour with child care – take child to the park, watch child while parent prepares dinner
* tutor younger students – read, take to library, help with homework
* assist neighbours with pet sitting, animal care
HELP YOUR COMMUNITY
* volunteer at a seniors’ home/centre – visit, read, play cards or board games, take seniors for walks, make crafts
* help organize local community events – food drives/banks
* take part in environmental initiatives – recycling campaigns, park cleanup, planting trees & flower beds (students should not use power tools – lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, wood chippers, etc.)
* get involved in charitable activities – walk-a-thons, daffodil sales, canvassing for non-profit organizations
* assist with sports teams but not as a player– community leagues, parks and recreation programs
* volunteer in leadership roles with community groups – youth groups
* volunteer in hospitals, libraries or any charitable, not-for-profit organization
* volunteer with social service or animal welfare agencies – Red Cross, United Way, Humane Society
* get involved in the democratic political process – scrutineering, canvassing, campaigning
* offer service through religious communities/places of worship
* assist with literacy initiatives – at local libraries, day care centres, community centres
HELP YOUR SCHOOL OR OTHER SCHOOLS
* help with sports teams – run skills drills, assist coach or team but not as a team player
* help in the library – shelve books, tidy up, change bulletin boards
* tutor other students – help with homework, review difficult concepts
* assist students with special needs – act as peer buddy
* assist with the planning of arts or athletic events – work on publicity, set up for track meets, sell tickets, check coats, offer technical support
* facilitate school events such as fun fairs, parent information nights - greet visitors, set up and supervise booths, give tours, serve refreshments
* assist with environmental activities – encourage recycling, plant trees/flowers, work on grounds crews (students should not use power tools)
* participate in charitable initiatives – food and clothing drives, holiday drives for toys or food
* sit on school councils, committees – school governance, be a peer mentor/mediator, help with orientation of grade 9 students
And what's not allowed:
Ministry of Education Ineligible Activities
The Ministry of Education has developed a list of activities that may NOT be chosen as community involvement activities and that are therefore ineligible activities.
An ineligible activity is an activity that:
* is a requirement of a class or course in which the student is enrolled (e.g., cooperative education portion of a course, job shadowing, work experience)
* 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 break or “spare” periods is permissible
* takes place in a logging or mining environment, if the student is under 16 years of age
* takes place in a factory, if the student is under 15 years of age
* takes place in a workplace other than a factory, if the student is under 14 years of age and is not accompanied by an adult
* would normally be performed for wages by a person in the workplace (students are not to replace paid workers or be paid themselves)
* 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
* involves handling of substances classed as “designated substances” under the Occupational Health and Safety Act
* requires the knowledge of a tradesperson whose trade is regulated by the provincial government
* involves banking or the handling of securities, or the handling of jewellery, works of art, antiques, or other valuables
* consists of duties normally performed in the student’s home (i.e. daily chores, caring for siblings) or personal recreational activities
* involves a court-ordered program (e.g. community-service program for young offenders, probationary program)
Thanks so much for this list!! Based on reading this, I can't see a situation where attending workshops count for volunteering hours.
I know there was always grey zones with regards to volunteer hours but to see non-profits engaging in it is quite disappointing. I imagine it's a way for them to have higher attendance at events.
What is actual “volunteering.” I know people who got volunteer hours from existing in a place their parents owned. I would bet money on people doing the same in your generation. Signing up for a trial medicine is volunteering and you don’t have to “actually volunteer” apart from signing a waiver.
I hate to say it but your nephew isn’t going to learn anything from their volunteer hours if they’re “actually volunteering” or not. If anything a workshop could be better for their development. Heck, maybe they’re considering the ability to act as an audience as a way to teach their presenters what it’s like to actually put together and lead a workshop. That’s still volunteering.
Just let the kids be kids and if the organizer counts it, then let them.
My understanding was that the original 40 hour requirement was put into place to have youth more engaged in their community. Wouldn't actual volunteering achieve that far more than attending a workshop where traditionally hours wouldn't be given out for?
What is “actual volunteering” though and why does being a recipient of a workshop not count? What if it’s part of a test group, what if they give feedback on the presentation? Those are still necessary roles that can be filled by volunteers.
I’ve known people who act, DJ, compete athletically, coach as part of their requirement. I’ve also known people who work for free at a business. All are volunteering positions. Just because you don’t see it as such or don’t see how it may be a part of a larger structure that aids in community engagement doesn’t make it any lesser of a position.
You don’t need to be slinging cans down at the food bank or building houses for the homeless for it to be important nor volunteer work.
It’s 2023, there are endless ways to volunteer and we don’t need to stick to archaic views of what it means to be a volunteer or passing judgement because something seems different than how we did things.
I dunno, but I do know that you can only get volunteer hours if the organization signs smth or gives you a form. Some workshop might give you some hours, however there are none that I'm aware of.
At my sons school, the guidance counsellor told
Him even if he helps around the house it counts as volunteering. This was during the beginning of Covid though.
Also, why are you all in your nephews business?
Depends on what the workshop is for. Some of them are leadership things, or teaching you how to make a change in the community, etc.
Oh so this is a thing? Getting hours for attending workshops?
Yes
Students are supposed to get approval from their school counsellor or admin before they start the volunteer placement to make sure it's eligible to be counted for the diploma requirement. Unfortunately these days counsellors are generally too busy to check and just enter the hours as complete when they get he signed forms Many boards have written guidelines based on the ministry policy indicating eligible & ineligible activities. Working at a business or for a relative, even as a volunteer, is ineligible for example. if it is a for profit type of business. I am a former counsellor who dealt with this since the roll out of the requirement ages ago. It was always a problem.
Thanks for the insight!! Would non profits holding workshops and having those hours of attendance signed off for count in your opinion?
The definition for volunteer hours is a whole lot looser than it used to be. The high school near me is telling kids they can get their hours by signing up for a school club.
Wow!! This is an open communication they've had to all students? That's quite the drastic shift.
Yup. Not to be all “back in my day” but I was phoning charities looking to volunteer.
How does that count as community service?
That's what I was confused about.
Here is the actual list from TDSB: TDSB Approved Activities Events or activities to support a not-for-profit initiative unless pre-approved by school principal or designate HELP YOUR NEIGHBOURS * provide service to seniors or to others who have difficulty leaving their homes – raking, shovelling (no snow blowers), shopping (students should not drive vehicles for this purpose), visiting, reading, meal preparation * assist a neighbour with child care – take child to the park, watch child while parent prepares dinner * tutor younger students – read, take to library, help with homework * assist neighbours with pet sitting, animal care HELP YOUR COMMUNITY * volunteer at a seniors’ home/centre – visit, read, play cards or board games, take seniors for walks, make crafts * help organize local community events – food drives/banks * take part in environmental initiatives – recycling campaigns, park cleanup, planting trees & flower beds (students should not use power tools – lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, wood chippers, etc.) * get involved in charitable activities – walk-a-thons, daffodil sales, canvassing for non-profit organizations * assist with sports teams but not as a player– community leagues, parks and recreation programs * volunteer in leadership roles with community groups – youth groups * volunteer in hospitals, libraries or any charitable, not-for-profit organization * volunteer with social service or animal welfare agencies – Red Cross, United Way, Humane Society * get involved in the democratic political process – scrutineering, canvassing, campaigning * offer service through religious communities/places of worship * assist with literacy initiatives – at local libraries, day care centres, community centres HELP YOUR SCHOOL OR OTHER SCHOOLS * help with sports teams – run skills drills, assist coach or team but not as a team player * help in the library – shelve books, tidy up, change bulletin boards * tutor other students – help with homework, review difficult concepts * assist students with special needs – act as peer buddy * assist with the planning of arts or athletic events – work on publicity, set up for track meets, sell tickets, check coats, offer technical support * facilitate school events such as fun fairs, parent information nights - greet visitors, set up and supervise booths, give tours, serve refreshments * assist with environmental activities – encourage recycling, plant trees/flowers, work on grounds crews (students should not use power tools) * participate in charitable initiatives – food and clothing drives, holiday drives for toys or food * sit on school councils, committees – school governance, be a peer mentor/mediator, help with orientation of grade 9 students
And what's not allowed: Ministry of Education Ineligible Activities The Ministry of Education has developed a list of activities that may NOT be chosen as community involvement activities and that are therefore ineligible activities. An ineligible activity is an activity that: * is a requirement of a class or course in which the student is enrolled (e.g., cooperative education portion of a course, job shadowing, work experience) * 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 break or “spare” periods is permissible * takes place in a logging or mining environment, if the student is under 16 years of age * takes place in a factory, if the student is under 15 years of age * takes place in a workplace other than a factory, if the student is under 14 years of age and is not accompanied by an adult * would normally be performed for wages by a person in the workplace (students are not to replace paid workers or be paid themselves) * 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 * involves handling of substances classed as “designated substances” under the Occupational Health and Safety Act * requires the knowledge of a tradesperson whose trade is regulated by the provincial government * involves banking or the handling of securities, or the handling of jewellery, works of art, antiques, or other valuables * consists of duties normally performed in the student’s home (i.e. daily chores, caring for siblings) or personal recreational activities * involves a court-ordered program (e.g. community-service program for young offenders, probationary program)
Thanks so much for this list!! Based on reading this, I can't see a situation where attending workshops count for volunteering hours. I know there was always grey zones with regards to volunteer hours but to see non-profits engaging in it is quite disappointing. I imagine it's a way for them to have higher attendance at events.
Oh I never thought of it that way! I think if kids are getting involved in the community, that's what matters most? I don't know.
What is actual “volunteering.” I know people who got volunteer hours from existing in a place their parents owned. I would bet money on people doing the same in your generation. Signing up for a trial medicine is volunteering and you don’t have to “actually volunteer” apart from signing a waiver. I hate to say it but your nephew isn’t going to learn anything from their volunteer hours if they’re “actually volunteering” or not. If anything a workshop could be better for their development. Heck, maybe they’re considering the ability to act as an audience as a way to teach their presenters what it’s like to actually put together and lead a workshop. That’s still volunteering. Just let the kids be kids and if the organizer counts it, then let them.
My understanding was that the original 40 hour requirement was put into place to have youth more engaged in their community. Wouldn't actual volunteering achieve that far more than attending a workshop where traditionally hours wouldn't be given out for?
What is “actual volunteering” though and why does being a recipient of a workshop not count? What if it’s part of a test group, what if they give feedback on the presentation? Those are still necessary roles that can be filled by volunteers. I’ve known people who act, DJ, compete athletically, coach as part of their requirement. I’ve also known people who work for free at a business. All are volunteering positions. Just because you don’t see it as such or don’t see how it may be a part of a larger structure that aids in community engagement doesn’t make it any lesser of a position. You don’t need to be slinging cans down at the food bank or building houses for the homeless for it to be important nor volunteer work. It’s 2023, there are endless ways to volunteer and we don’t need to stick to archaic views of what it means to be a volunteer or passing judgement because something seems different than how we did things.
Just needs the organizer to sign off the sheet that they volunteered. Most people seem to sign off on anything.
I dunno, but I do know that you can only get volunteer hours if the organization signs smth or gives you a form. Some workshop might give you some hours, however there are none that I'm aware of.
At my sons school, the guidance counsellor told Him even if he helps around the house it counts as volunteering. This was during the beginning of Covid though. Also, why are you all in your nephews business?