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THE TORONTO EMPLOYMENT DIRECTORY
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A Secondary School Graduation Requirement
Effective September 1, 1999, every student who begins secondary school in Ontario will be required to complete 40 hours of community involvement in order to receive a diploma.
The purpose of this requirement is to encourage students to develop an understanding of the various roles they can play in their community and to help them develop a greater sense of civic responsibility and belonging within the community.
Information for students and parents, as well as for the persons and organizations who are asked to sponsor community involvement activities to assist students in meeting the diploma requirements follows.
Students will not be paid for performing any community involvement activity. These activities must take place outside of scheduled instructional time; they must not be apart of a credit course including work experiences related to credits; they must total a minimum of forty hours; and they must be completed by the end of grade twelve.
Getting Started
Step 1:
Students under the age of eighteen plan an activity in consultation with
their parent(s)/ guardian(s). The activity should involve service to others. The activity should be on the Board's list of eligible activities.
Step 2:
Students confirm the details of the activity with the community sponsor.
Step 3:
Students complete the Notification of Planned Community Involvement
form before beginning any activity and submit it to their school.
This form must be signed by the parent/guardian if the student is under
eighteen years of age. A principal's signature is required if the
activity is not on the Board's list of eligible activities or if the activity involves community service within the school.
Step 4:
Students complete their planned activity and submit the Completion of
Community Involvement form signed by the community sponsor.
Step 5:
By January 15th and June 1st each year, students submit their Completion of Community Involvement records to their school or report card entry.
Step 6:
These steps are repeated until the forty-hour requirement has been fulfilled.
It is recommended that students begin to meet this requirement early in their secondary program.
Roles and Responsibilities
Students
Students are responsible for selecting appropriate community involvement activities and for completing all required documentation as outlined in this manual. Students are also responsible for completing their community involvement hours in a manner that demonstrates:
- respect for others
- punctuality
- cooperation
- adaptability to change
- pride in work
- appropriate dress
- good use of time
Parents/ Guardians
Parents/guardians assist in identifying and selecting appropriate activities that meet the requirements outlined in this manual. They are encouraged to communicate with the community sponsor or the school principal if questions or concerns arise. A parent/guardian must sign the "Notification of Planned Community Involvement" and the "Completion of Community Involvement" forms if the student is under eighteen years of age.
The safety of the student is paramount; therefore, prior to selecting a community sponsor, it is suggested that parents and students consider the following issues:
Age and maturity mach between student and activity.
Provision of health and safety training.
Protection from hazardous materials/substances.
Requirement of sponsor for a police check (fee involved).
Policies, procedures, and orientation or training provided by sponsor or the activity to take place.
Personal Accident Insurance coverage.
School Boards
School boards are responsible for sharing information with students, parents and the broader community. Boards are required to develop a list of approved activities along with appropriate forms for student to use in documenting completion of community involvement activities. This information is contained in this manual along with a list of activities that the Ministry of Education has stated are ineligible.
A board cannot approve participation in any activities that are on the ministry’s slit of ineligible activities. Each school board much ensure that all participants, including students and community sponsors, are adequately covered by the board's insurance. Ineligible activities are not covered.
Principals
Principals are reasonable for sharing information and documentation with student, parents, and community sponsors, they will also provide students with the forms they will need to complete.
The list of the board’s approved activities from which to choose is included in this manual. If a student proposes to undertake an activity that is not on the board’s list of approved activities, the principal will determine weather the students proposed activity is acceptable. If the activity is acceptable, the principal must keep a copy of the approval on file. Some activities may be ruled ineligible.
After a student completes the 40 hours of community involvement and submits all documentation of their completion to the school, the principal is responsible for ensuring that completed community involvement hours are entered on a student’s official transcript.
Sponsors in the Community
One of the purposes of the community involvement requirements is to develop strong ties between the students and their community, fostering valuable and long-term relationships. Persons and organizations within the community may be asked to sponsor a community involvement activity. Any training, equipment, or special preparation that is required for the activity should be provided by the persons or organization. It is crucial that students are able to fulfill their community involvement requirement in a safe environment.
The person overseeing the student’s activity must:
Sign the "Notification of Planned Community Involvement" form.
Verify the date(s) and the number of hours completed on the "Completion of Community Involvement" form.
Community sponsors ensure that the activities completed by students are not in the Ministry of Education’s or the Upper Canada District School Board’s list of ineligible activities.
Community Involvement
Ineligible Activities
The Ministry of Education has developed a list of activities that may not be chosen as community involvement activities.
All eligible activities must be completed outside of scheduled class time.
for example:
- during the lunch hour
- during "spare" periods
- in the evenings
- on the weekends
- during school holidays
- during the summer
An ineligible activity is an activity that:
Is a requirement of a class or course in which the student is enrolled (eg, cooperative education portion of a course, job shadowing, work experience).
Takes place during 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.
Takes place in a logging or mining environment, if the student is under sixteen years of age.
Takes place in a factory if the student is under fifteen years of age.
Takes place in a workplace, other than a factory if the student is under fourteen years of age. And is not accompanied by an adult.
Would normally be performed for wages by a person in the workplace.
Involves the operation of a vehicle, power tools, or scaffolding.
Involves the administrating of any type or form of medication of medical procedure.
Involves the handling of "designated substances" under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Requires the knowledge of a tradesperson whose trade is regulated by the provincial government (eg, electrician).
Involves banking or the handling or securities, jewelry, works of art, antiques, or other valuables.
Consists of duties normally performed in the home (ie, daily chores) or personal recreational activities.
Involves a court-ordered program (eg, community-service program for young offenders, probationary program).
In addition to those identified by the Ministry, some School Boards have determined that the following are also ineligible activities and may not be chosen as community involvement activities:
Any activity that provides direct financial benefit or gain to the student or the student’ family;
Any association with an organization or activity that does not comply with the policies, procedures and regulations of both the School Board and the Ministry of Education;
Andy activity that involves swapping of regular chores by two students;
Any activity that endangers the physical or mental well being of students or those in their charge.
Community Involvement
Eligible Activities
Community Events – includes organizing community celebrations (eg, Carnivals, parades, fairs).
Community projects – includes participating in food drives or support services for community groups.
Environmental Projects – includes participating in community clean-up, flower and tree planting, recycling and general beautification projects.
Committee Work – includes participation on advisory boards, neighborhood associations and regional associations.
Work with Animals – includes animal care, feeding, and grooming.
Fundraising for community organizations, service clubs and charities – includes canvassing, walk-a-thons and sales for charitable purposes.
Sports and Recreation - includes coaching, organizing events or volunteering.
Volunteer Work in Institutions – includes assisting in hospitals, nursing homes and daycare’s.(eg, serving snacks, visiting, writing letters and reading).
Youth Programs – includes volunteer assistance with the operation of youth programs and organizations including drop-in-centers, breakfast programs, playground activities and camps.
Religious Activities – includes participation as a volunteer in programs(eg, Sunday school) and other church activities including special events and clerical tasks.
Office and Clerical Work – includes volunteer activity in the service of individuals or groups providing charitable or community benefit.
Arts and Culture – includes volunteer assistance at a gallery, museum, performing arts production program, or in a community library program. This must not involve the handling of works or art, antiques or other valuables.
Activities with Individuals – includes activity for any person requiring assistance. This must not involve the use of power tools.
School Community Service – may include service that provides benefit to others and take place outside the regular school day. These activities must be approved by the principal in advance.
No activity should be started until permission has been granted.
Insurance
If they have no other personal accident coverage, students/parents might wish to consider purchasing Student Accident Insurance. Brochures are at each secondary school.
It is expected that all community sponsors will provide students with appropriate instructions, put safety precautions in place and supervise student volunteers.
With some School Boards community sponsors that students who are performing volunteer work for, organizations are protected by the school board’s liability insurance, while they are performing their 40 hours of community involvement service. Community sponsors are also protected by the board’s liability insurance for claims that arise out our students’ volunteer activities for organizations.
For example, if a student, in the course of volunteer duties, causes damage or injuries a third party, and this results in a law suit against the student and the community sponsor, the board’s insurance will protect both the student and the community sponsor.
Community sponsors will be responsible for ensuring that their liability insurance will protect them for their involvement in this program. As with other programs, such as "Take Our Kids to Work", the school board’s insurance does not provide coverage for the negligence of community sponsors.
Community sponsors should also be aware that, like job-shadowing and similar work-experience programs, students do not have accident insurance, nor Workplace Safety Insurance coverage through the school board. It is recommended that students involved in the program purchase Student Accident insurance. The school board expects the community sponsors to ensure that student volunteers are provided with safety instructions, and are trained and supervised to ensure a safe and mutually beneficial volunteer experience.
Insurance coverage does not apply to ineligible activities or activities beyond the required forty hours.
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