Community Involvement Requirement Policy
Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
BSID: 665298
1. Purpose of the Community Involvement Requirement
As part of the requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), students are generally required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of approved community involvement activities.
The purpose of the community involvement requirement is to provide students with meaningful opportunities to contribute to their communities, develop social responsibility, build leadership and interpersonal skills, and understand the positive role they can play in supporting others.
Community involvement is intended to encourage students to become active, responsible, and engaged members of their communities.
2. Number of Hours Required
Students working toward the OSSD are generally required to complete 40 hours of community involvement before graduation.
Students may begin completing eligible community involvement activities during the summer immediately before entering Grade 9.
In certain circumstances, including students who:
- transfer to Red Leaf Education from outside Ontario;
- transfer from home schooling;
- transfer from a non-inspected private school;
- enter the Ontario secondary school system later in their academic career; or
- qualify as mature students under applicable Ontario Ministry of Education requirements,
The Principal of Red Leaf Education will determine the appropriate number of community involvement hours required, based on the student’s academic history and applicable Ministry policy.
The completion of the required community involvement hours will be recorded in the student’s official school record once all documentation has been reviewed and approved.
3. Red Leaf Education Responsibilities
Red Leaf Education will:
- provide students and families with information regarding the community involvement graduation requirement;
- advise students of the number of hours they are required to complete;
- provide guidance regarding eligible and ineligible activities;
- review proposed activities where prior approval is required;
- review completed community involvement documentation;
- ensure that activities used toward the graduation requirement comply with Ontario Ministry of Education requirements;
- reject activities that are considered ineligible under Ministry policy;
- determine whether the student has successfully completed the community involvement requirement; and
- record completion of the requirement in the student’s official academic record.
The Principal or designated school official may request further information or verification regarding any submitted activity before approving the hours.
4. Student Responsibilities
Students are responsible for completing and properly documenting their community involvement hours.
Students should:
- confirm the number of community involvement hours required for graduation;
- select activities that are appropriate to their age, abilities, skills, and personal circumstances;
- consider their own safety and well-being when selecting an activity;
- consult with a parent or guardian where appropriate;
- obtain Red Leaf Education approval before beginning an activity when there is uncertainty regarding its eligibility;
- accurately record the organization, activity, dates, and number of hours completed;
- obtain verification and a signature from the supervising individual or organization;
- ensure that all submitted information is truthful and accurate; and
- submit completed community involvement documentation to Red Leaf Education for review and approval.
Students are strongly encouraged not to wait until Grade 12 to complete their community involvement requirement.
5. Parent and Guardian Responsibilities
For students under 18 years of age, parents or guardians are encouraged to participate in the selection and monitoring of community involvement activities.
Parents and guardians should:
- assist students in selecting safe and appropriate activities;
- consider the student’s age, maturity, abilities, location of the activity, and level of supervision;
- ensure that appropriate transportation, equipment, preparation, or training is available where required;
- monitor the student’s participation and safety; and
- sign community involvement documentation where required.
The safety and well-being of the student should always be the first consideration.
6. Responsibilities of Sponsoring Organizations
Organizations or individuals supervising community involvement activities should:
- provide students with appropriate instructions and supervision;
- provide any necessary orientation, training, preparation, or equipment;
- maintain a safe environment for the student;
- accurately verify the work completed;
- confirm the dates and number of volunteer hours; and
- provide the name, signature, and contact information of the supervising individual.
Red Leaf Education reserves the right to contact the supervising organization or individual to verify submitted community involvement hours.
7. General Requirements for Eligible Activities
To qualify toward the community involvement graduation requirement, an activity should generally:
- be unpaid;
- occur outside the requirements of a credit course;
- provide a meaningful benefit to the community or another individual;
- involve volunteer participation rather than regular paid employment;
- be appropriate for the student’s age and abilities;
- comply with applicable health and safety requirements; and
- not appear on the Ministry of Education’s list of ineligible activities.
Volunteer activity conducted in a commercial business simply as unpaid labour will generally not qualify as community involvement.
Students should seek approval from Red Leaf Education before beginning an activity if they are uncertain whether the proposed work will qualify.
8. Examples of Eligible Community Involvement Activities
Eligible activities may include, but are not limited to:
Community and Charitable Activities
- assisting with charitable fundraising events;
- helping with food drives or food banks;
- supporting community organizations;
- assisting at community fairs, festivals, or public events;
- participating in approved community improvement initiatives.
Environmental Activities
- community clean-up projects;
- tree or flower planting;
- recycling initiatives;
- neighbourhood beautification projects;
- approved environmental awareness activities.
Sports and Recreation
- assisting with community sports programs;
- helping organize sporting events or tournaments;
- volunteering with youth recreation programs;
- assisting coaches or event organizers where the student is not replacing a paid employee.
Seniors and Community Support
- volunteering at seniors’ residences;
- assisting with organized recreational activities for seniors;
- reading or visiting programs;
- approved assistance for individuals requiring community support.
Youth Programs
- volunteering with youth clubs;
- children’s recreational programs;
- summer camps;
- community centres;
- breakfast programs;
- approved leadership programs.
Arts and Culture
- assisting with community libraries;
- volunteering at galleries;
- helping with community arts programs;
- supporting approved theatrical, cultural, or performing arts events.
Religious and Cultural Organizations
- assisting with community events organized through a place of worship;
- supporting charitable or community outreach programs;
- volunteering at religious or cultural events where the activity provides a community benefit.
Animal Welfare
- volunteering with approved animal welfare organizations;
- assisting at animal shelters;
- supporting appropriate community-based animal care programs.
Administrative and Clerical Assistance
- approved volunteer reception activities;
- preparing mailings for charitable organizations;
- assisting community organizations with administrative work;
- providing computer assistance or clerical support for non-profit or community-benefit organizations.
Assistance to Individuals
Students may also complete approved volunteer activities helping individuals who require assistance, including:
- tutoring;
- reading assistance;
- grocery or shopping assistance;
- letter writing;
- light housekeeping;
- appropriate light snow clearing that does not involve prohibited machinery; or
- other approved forms of community support.
9. Ineligible Activities
Community involvement hours will not be approved where the activity is prohibited under Ontario Ministry of Education requirements.
Examples include activities that:
- form part of a credit course;
- are required as part of Cooperative Education, work experience, or job shadowing;
- normally take place during scheduled instructional time, except where Ministry rules permit activities during lunch or spare periods;
- would normally be completed by a paid employee;
- consist of ordinary household chores;
- are primarily personal recreational activities;
- involve court-ordered community service;
- involve inappropriate or unsafe work environments for the student’s age;
- involve the operation of motor vehicles;
- involve power tools or scaffolding;
- involve administering medication or performing medical procedures;
- involve handling dangerous or designated substances;
- require regulated trade skills that the student is not legally authorized to perform;
- involve banking, securities, jewellery, valuable artwork, antiques, or other high-value property;
- involve firearms, weapons, or similar dangerous equipment; or
- otherwise present an unreasonable health, safety, legal, or supervision risk.
Red Leaf Education may also refuse an activity if the Principal determines that it does not meet the educational purpose of the community involvement requirement or does not provide an appropriate community benefit.
10. Paid Employment
Paid employment cannot be counted toward community involvement hours.
Students may not receive:
- wages;
- salary;
- cash compensation;
- regular employment compensation; or
- another form of payment in exchange for community involvement hours.
Community involvement must be genuinely voluntary.
Simply performing unpaid work for a commercial employer that would ordinarily be performed by a paid employee does not make the activity eligible.
11. Activities Completed Outside Canada
Red Leaf Education recognizes that many students complete their secondary education while living outside Canada.
Community involvement activities may be completed internationally, provided that the activities otherwise meet Ontario Ministry of Education and Red Leaf Education requirements.
Students completing volunteer activities outside Canada must provide sufficient documentation to allow Red Leaf Education to verify:
- the organization;
- nature of the activity;
- dates completed;
- total hours;
- name of the supervisor;
- supervisor’s contact information; and
- supervisor’s signature or other acceptable verification.
Red Leaf Education reserves the right to request additional evidence, including letters, emails, certificates, photographs, organization information, or direct confirmation from the supervising organization.
12. Prior Approval
Students are strongly encouraged to obtain approval before beginning any activity that is not clearly covered by the examples of eligible activities.
If a student completes an activity without seeking approval and the activity is subsequently determined to be ineligible, the hours may not be accepted toward the OSSD requirement.
When in doubt, students should contact Red Leaf Education before beginning the activity.
13.Required Documentation
Community involvement submissions should include:
- student’s full legal name;
- student number where applicable;
- organization or supervisor name;
- description of the volunteer activity;
- location of the activity;
- start and completion dates;
- number of hours completed;
- supervisor’s name;
- supervisor’s telephone number and/or email address;
- supervisor’s signature;
- student’s signature; and
- parent/guardian signature where required.
Documentation must be submitted to Red Leaf Education for review.
14. Verification of Hours
Red Leaf Education reserves the right to independently verify any community involvement submission.
Verification may include contacting:
- the supervising organization;
- volunteer coordinator;
- employer;
- community leader;
- teacher;
- parent or guardian; or
- other individual identified on the documentation.
Submitting altered, false, fabricated, or misleading community involvement documentation may result in the hours being rejected and may be addressed under Red Leaf Education’s academic integrity and student conduct policies.
15.Completion and Graduation
Community involvement is a graduation requirement.
Students should ensure that all required hours and supporting documents are submitted well in advance of their anticipated graduation date.
A diploma may not be considered complete until all applicable OSSD requirements, including the community involvement requirement, have been satisfied and verified.
Once Red Leaf Education confirms that the requirement has been successfully completed, the student’s official school record will be updated accordingly.
16. Important Reminder to Students
Students should begin completing their community involvement hours as early as possible.
Red Leaf Education recommends that students spread their volunteer activities across their secondary school years rather than attempting to complete all hours immediately before graduation.
Community involvement should be viewed not simply as a graduation requirement, but as an opportunity to:
- develop leadership;
- improve communication skills;
- gain valuable experience;
- support others;
- learn about different communities and organizations;
- build confidence and responsibility; and
- contribute positively to society.
Questions and Approvals
Students, parents, educational partners, and community organizations who have questions regarding eligibility or documentation should contact Red Leaf Education before the activity begins whenever possible.
Red Leaf Education
Ontario Private Secondary School
Ontario Private Secondary School
BSID: 665298
Justin Wismer
Principal
Principal
Red Leaf Education