Criteria for Community Service Hours

Some important information for completing your 40 hours of Community Service:

NEW Note: Community Service hours counting towards your OSSD may be completed at any time during their schooling and students may begin accumulating hours in the summer between their Grade 8 and Grade 9 year.

*Volunteer activities completed over a student’s lunch or spare period WILL count towards the 40 hour requirement.

The ministry 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 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 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 home (i.e., daily chores) or personal recreational activities;
• involves a court-ordered program (e.g., community-service program for young offenders, probationary program).

*If you are not sure whether or not an activity will count – always check with your guidance counselor before beginning a volunteer activity.

You can also refer the Assumption College Community Hours Guide