Getting involved and volunteering in the community is not only encouraged at our schools, it is a secondary school graduation requirement. Starting in grade 9, 40 hours of volunteer work must be completed before graduation.
Our Catholic high schools, through their Christian outreach and Social Justice Programs, already have students involved in the life of the community. These programs encourage students to respond as Christian disciples to the needs of the community and promote the living out of the gospel values taught in the school curriculum. They are well designed with clear expectations and reporting processes and are well suited to fulfill the Ministry requirement for Community Involvement.
Possible Ways To Give Back
Students can seek opportunities to help:
- in the community by offering assistance to charities, service clubs, coaching, environmental projects
- in the parish by helping with children’s liturgy, St. Vincent de Paul, choir, lector, server
- in the school by helping in areas such as, tutoring, fundraising, etc.
- individuals by providing assistance to, seniors, Big Brother / Big Sister, special needs students, yard clean-up, etc.
Unacceptable Activities
Some examples of unacceptable activities are:
- paid activities (babysitting, summer job, etc.)
- job shadowing, cooperative education placements
- required activities of a course or program in which the student is registered for credit
- activities that are part of regular family responsibilities (morning chores, doing family shopping, etc.)
- court ordered community service programs
- one that will displace a paid worker