Every Ontario secondary school student must complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement as part of the Ministry requirements for an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). Students can begin to fulfill this requirement in the summer they are entering grade 9.
Effective September 1, 2023, Policy/Program Memorandum 124 replaces Policy/Program Memorandum No. 124A, “Ontario Secondary School Diploma Requirement: Community Involvement Activities in English-Language Schools”.
Participation in an activity that promotes:
Catholic moral teachings, gospel values, and ethical standards.
A benefit to servicing the community.
Conforms to the ethical standards of the TCDSB and Ministry of Education.
Positive environmental awareness or ethical work of a global nature.
Community involvement in a variety of settings such as businesses, healthcare institutions, not-for-profit organizations, public sector institutions, First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities or organizations, and informal settings, such as religious, cultural events and community activities.
Please note the following requirements for eligible community involvement activities:
They must not be part of a credit course.
They must be completed outside of scheduled class time.
They must be unpaid.
They cannot be conducted in a commercial setting.
Students cannot perform an activity at a place of business by working for “free”.
Community involvement is:
An event or activity designed to be of benefit to the community.
An activity not performed for pay or credit.
A constructive contribution to the community.
Students must complete Part C of the Student Involvement Activity Form if they wish to participate in an activity not listed as an Eligible Activity.
This form must be submitted to the school Principal for approval prior to participating in this activity.
Participants are encouraged review the following roles and responsibilities:
Students are encouraged to download and complete the following Community Involvement Form.
