Every student must complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities as one of the requirements for an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).

The Purpose of Mandatory Community Involvement is:

  • To encourage students to develop awareness and understanding of civic responsibility
  • To increase awareness of the role students can play and gain satisfaction from the contribution they can make in supporting and strengthening their communities
  • To develop a positive image and a greater sense of identity within the community

Completing Community Involvement Activities

Students may complete the requirement starting on July 1 after they leave Grade 8 and ending before they graduate from secondary school. This requirement is normally to be completed outside the student’s normal school instructional hours.

Tracking Your Community Involvement Hours

Documentation attesting to the completion of each community involvement activity, in the form of the Community Involvement Tracking Record Sheet, must be submitted.

For more information on the community involvement requirement, eligible community involvement activities:

Suggestions of Volunteer Opportunities:

Contact Volunteer Waterloo Region for current activities at volunteerwr.ca

Minister’s Certificate of Recognition for Community Involvement (RCI)

The Ministry of Education requires students to complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities as part of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma requirements. Students who complete more than 50 community service hours before graduating from high school may be eligible for the Minister’s Certificate of Recognition for Community Involvement. This certificate highlights students’ commitment to helping others and making a positive impact in their communities.

There are three levels of recognition for this new Certificate:

Bronze Level: 50-99 community involvement hours

Silver Level: 100-199 community involvement hours

Gold Level: 200+ community involvement hours

The RCI certificate recognizes student civic engagement, leadership and community spirit. It may also help students stand out when applying for:

  • Jobs
  • College or university programs
  • Apprenticeships
  • Scholarships

For more information, contact your school Guidance Counsellor.