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High School Volunteers
 

Did you know that all Ontario high school students are required to complete 40 hours of community service before graduating? There are so many ways to achieve your hours, there are endless sectors and roles always looking for volunteers. Volunteer Toronto offers many options and opportunities to learn about volunteering, your impact, and how you can get involved. Click the drop downs below to learn more, and to start your volunteering journey!

Volunteering is about giving your time to a good cause. You do not get paid, but you learn new skills, meet new people, and experience what it means to make a difference in the life of others and your own!

Ontario students are required to complete 40 volunteer hours in order to graduate high school! This requirement means that each student must complete 40 hours before they graduate.

We always say the earlier, the better! As you go through high school your schedule gets busier and busier, planning early can help you complete your hours as soon as possible to satisfy the graduation requirement.

  • Learn new skills
  • Explore potential career options
  • Give back to your community
  • Complete your 40-hour requirement to graduate 
It is great to start looking for volunteer opportunities in Grade 9 or 10. This ensures that your hours are complete before Grade 12! Who knows? It could also be a great opportunity to explore different career paths!

There are a wide range of sectors where you can offer your time and skills as a volunteer. Many youth-led organizations look for leaders or executive roles, like event planners as marketing coordinators. If you’re looking for a more hands-on role, you could explore roles with animals, the environment, or community roles. There is something for everyone!                                  

You can find roles in the Search Opportunities section of our website. We offer both virtual and in person roles. Use the dropdown menu to look for specific types of roles or enter a keyword to look for roles that align with your goals as a volunteer! Be sure to use our 'suitable for youth' filter.

Search Opportunities

Looking for a role outside the city of Toronto?
Peel Region: Volunteer MBC
York Region (South): Volunteer Connect York Region
York Region (North): Neighbourhood Network

If you’re not sure about what type of roles are applicable, check out these guidelines provided by Toronto’s school boards.

Toronto District School Board
Toronto Catholic District School Board   

Info Sessions are sessions hosted by Volunteer Toronto and the Toronto Public Library. The sessions are held both virtually and in-person at TPL locations across Toronto. At these sessions, you can learn about starting your volunteer journey, or specific topics like improving your resume, or volunteering as a student. We have all the information you need to get started as a student volunteer!

Register and save your spot by hitting the button below.

Attend a Session

Volunteer Toronto hosts an annual in-person volunteer fair for youth. Connect with 30+ non-profits based in Toronto who are searching for high school volunteers.

Keep an eye on the fair with our Community Response Team Alert newsletter in the upcoming months! We are excited to connect non-profits with students searching for volunteer roles.

Join Our Mailing List for Updates

Our friendly and knowledgeable team of remote Volunteer Advisors are here to help you navigate your search for a volunteer role. Volunteer Advisors are a great resource for youth, or those who may not be as familiar with the process of volunteering. You could also email an advisor, here.

During your 30-minute 1-on-1 telephone appointment, advisors will assist you by:

  • Advising on how to effectively search for role postings using our online search engine.
  • Recommending volunteer roles based on your skills, experience, interests, goals, schedule, and location.
  • Advising on the unique application process for each role.
Book An Appointment

There are 3 R's to consider when you are looking for a role are Reflect, Research, and Reach Out. These three R's can help guide you to the perfect volunteer role.

Reflect: What are your strengths? Interests? Skills and Talents? Volunteer doing something that you love!

Research: Visit our “Search Opportunities” page! Our search portal hosts hundreds of current volunteer roles that are open and searching for volunteers!

Reach Out: Reach out, apply, and wait to hear back! Application processes differ from role and role - this means you can expect different wait times, rules and regulations, and other differences as you apply to different organizations. Keep an eye on your email and reach out.