Use high school volunteer hours to build your future

Overview

Students in Ontario need to volunteer for at least 40 hours to graduate from high school. Learn more about the requirements to get your high school volunteer hours.

If you go above and beyond in your volunteer work during high school, you can earn a Minister’s Certificate of Recognition for Community Involvement when you graduate. This new certificate celebrates your dedication to helping others and for completing more than 50 volunteer hours during high school.

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Bronze: 50 to 99 volunteer hours

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Silver: 100 to 199 volunteer hours

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Gold: 200+ volunteer hours

This certificate recognizes your civic engagement, leadership and community spirit. It can also help you stand out when applying for:

• jobs
• college or university programs
• apprenticeships
• scholarships

To get started, make sure your activities are eligible to volunteer for.

On this page, you’ll learn how to:

• write a resumé and cover letter
• use AI tools to help describe your experiences and skills

Show volunteer experience on your resumé

Volunteering gives you real-world experience. You build skills, grow your network and learn how to work with others in a professional or community environment, just like in a job.

Include your volunteer work in your resumé, cover letters, applications and interviews. It is a great way to show what you have done and what you are capable of.

You can begin volunteering as early as the summer before you start Grade 9.

For job applications

Use your resume and cover letter to highlight your volunteer experience by:

• creating a “Volunteer Experience” section
• listing the organization, your role and the dates you volunteered
• describing what you did and what you learned (for example, teamwork, leadership, communication)
• asking your volunteer supervisor to be a reference for you
• highlighting your Minister’s Certificate of Recognition for Community Involvement

Example

Volunteer Experience  
Food Bank Assistant, Food Bank – Toronto
September 2023 – June 2024

• Sorted and packed food hampers for over 300 families in need
• Worked with a team of 10 volunteers to organize donation drives
• Gained skills in time management, logistics, teamwork and customer service

For postsecondary applications

Personal statements, essays and interviews often ask about your experiences and goals. Volunteering helps you answer with real stories, genuine experiences and meaningful outcomes. Tips for mentioning your volunteer work in personal statements, essays and interviews:

• focus on the outcomes you contributed to
• explain how it connects to the program or opportunity
• ask your volunteer supervisor for a reference letter

Example

"Volunteering at a local senior’s centre taught me how to connect with people across generations and improved my communication skills. Organizing weekly activities and helping with meal service gave me a leadership opportunity that made a real difference in the lives of the people I was there to support. These experiences inspired me to pursue a career in nursing, where I can continue to support and care for others in meaningful ways."

Use AI to help describe your volunteer experience

Volunteering is a great way to build experience toward future employment, but many people struggle to describe their experience in a way that clearly shows what they did and what they learned – and why they are the best person for the job.

After you have written a cover letter or resume, you can use generative AI tools to review your work and get recommendations that can help you accurately and persuasively connect your work to the opportunities you are pursuing. Make sure you: 

• always review and edit your writing to make sure it captures your real experience and authentic voice
• check the guidelines for what you are applying to for any rules around AI use.

Here are some ways to use generative AI tools:

Get ideas and inspiration

Try prompts like:

• Ask: “I volunteered at nursing home. What transferrable skills are important to other employers?”
• Generate: “List action verbs to help me describe teamwork and leadership.”

 Showcase your skills

Use AI to highlight relevant skills and experiences:

• “Compare my resumé to this job posting and suggest missing keywords.”
• “Check if my content includes relevant skills and experiences.”

Proofread and polish

Ask AI to help with grammar and clarity:

• “Proofread my cover letter for spelling and grammar.”
• “Suggest ways to make this paragraph more concise.”

Make sure you reflect your real experiences and skills. AI should be used as a support tool to help you write and talk about your skills in a clear and professional way.