Community Involvement Hours/Activities

Further to the information shared by the HDSB regarding the Minister’s Certificate of Recognition for Community Involvement, we would like to share with you our process for providing IRHS students the opportunity to earn one of these certificates.
  1. All students will continue to submit Community Involvement Hours until they reach the graduation requirement of 40 hours.
  2. All students will continue to track their Community Involvement Hours for their own records beyond 40 hours. Students in grades 9 to 11 will have the opportunity to submit their accumulated hours beyond the graduation requirement of 40 hours in their grade 12 year. 
  3. Grade 12 graduating students who have earned more than 50 hours of community involvement by the end of March in their grade 12 year will be invited to submit a document that summarizes their volunteer experience during a two week window at the beginning of April. This timeframe coincides with the Ministry’s deadline for ordering graduation materials.
Current grade 12 students should continue to track their own Community Involvement hours until March 31st, 2026. On April 1st, an email will be sent to all grade 12 students (and parents/guardians) with a link to submit a record of their hours that are beyond the 40 hours required for graduation. By mid April, Certificates of Recognition will be ordered for eligible students, which will be included in student graduation packages.
 
If you have any questions regarding this, please feel free to contact your student’s guidance counsellor.

Volunteer Halton is an excellent resource for volunteer opportunities. Students can access these opportunities in three ways:

  1. Download the Volunteer Halton app
  2. Refer to the Volunteer Halton board in the Guidance office at IRHS
  3. Click on the  www.volunteerhalton.ca. website for more information

Here is another source for volunteer opportunities, with information provided to IRHS from the community.

The following activities are examples of pre-approved, eligible activities and do not require the secondary principal / designate signature in the Notification of Planned Activities on the Record of Community Involvement​. Additional activities may be eligible, this is not a comprehensive list. If you are unsure of any of the examples listed above or the eligibility of your proposed activity, please contact your secondary school guidance department . 

1.  Community Involvement Activities associated with non-profit, community-based agencies are eligible:

    • Provincial and national non-profit organizations such as Heart and Stroke Foundation, United Way, Girl Guides and Scouting of Canada, Canadian Red Cross, Canadian Cancer Society, Rotary and Service Clubs, Humane Society, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Arthritis Society, Habitat for Humanity, LDHalton, YMCA  

    • Fundraising or awareness run/walk events: CIBC Run for the Cure, Mississauga Marathon, Brian Smith Ride 

    • Coaching / Coaches Helper / Leader in Training programs with non-profit organizations (e.g. Timbits hockey with BLOMHA, City of Burlington summer camp LIT, Canadian Tire JumpStart Foundation), Ontario Track 3 Ski Association, Oakville Gymnastics Club 

    • Region or city organized community events (e.g. Canada Day celebrations, town street festival), Mikey Young at Heart, The Homework Club, Youth Aiding Youth (ROCK), Bronte Creek Maple Syrup Festival 

    • Supporting work of a global nature, promoting environmental awareness (e.g. Earth Day Clean Up, tree planting) 

    • Food Bank Organizations: Halton Food for Thought, Georgetown Bread Basket 

    • Elementary school fun fair and other events 

    • RBC Canadian Open West

2.  Ineligible Activities:

    • Activities that would normally be performed for wages by a person in the workplace

    • Activities during instructional/ class time within the school day

    • Required activities of a course where you earn a credit

    • Participating on school sports teams or clubs

    • Experiential learning (e.g. “Take Our Kids to Work Day”, job shadow, co-op)

    • Regular family responsibilities (chores)

    • Court ordered community service programs

Examples of Ineligible Activities: 

  • volunteering at a landscaping company (replaces paid employment)                                   
  • Stocking shelves at a local grocery store (replaces paid employment)                                     .
  • Shoveling snow at home (family chore)
  • Babysitting younger siblings (family chore)                                                                                               

Examples of Similar Eligible Community Involvement:

  • Landscaping and gardening at a local church, community vegetable garden (rely on community volunteers because the focus of the organization is on community benefit).
  • Stocking shelves at a local food bank (focus of the organization is on community benefit)
  • Shoveling snow for a neighbour that requires community support to stay in their home (e.g. person with a disability or a senior citizen).
  • Child minding at a community event (e.g. Welcome to High School parent evening).

The form is currently closed until January 2026.

Community Involvement Hour Form

Reporting Tool

Online Bullying