Volunteer Opportunities
You’re probably aware that you must complete a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer work (in addition to the 30 credits) in order to receive your Ontario high school diploma. Whether you choose to spend those 40 hours volunteering with law-related organization, or a hospital, or even a local community centre, there are many reasons why you should volunteer – even though you don’t get paid, volunteering still pays off!
By volunteering, you can:
- Meet many interesting people and learn from them.
- Learn about your community.
- Learn and practice new skills that can be useful for your resume and your future.
- Get references from a volunteer coordinator, mentor, or other staff member at the organization with which you volunteer.
- Learn first-hand about a certain area of work before you decide to go in that direction.
- Learn about your own strengths and weaknesses – you might have a great skill that can take you places.
- Have fun!
If you’ve found an organization with which you would like to volunteer, visit their website, fill out any forms required, and email or call the contact person listed. Some places might ask you to come in for an interview, so it’s a good idea to prepare answers to a few key questions ahead of time, such as:
- Why do you want to volunteer with this organization?
- How much time can you commit to volunteering?
- What do you hope to learn from this volunteer opportunity?
For listings of volunteer opportunities, check with your high school Guidance Office and visit these websites:
