# i need to get my mandatory volunteer hours. ugh.



## nothing to fear (Mar 23, 2005)

i need a mandatory 40 hours to graduate high school. i got 5 hours years ago but i lost the sheet so i still need to get those again. what are the best volunteer options with the least possible amount of socializing? what did you ontarioans do to get your hours?


i'm really really clueless of where to go.


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## SilentLoner (Jan 30, 2006)

I got 5 hrs helping the ceramics teacher move in a new order of supplies (it was more like 1.5 hours but he gave everybody who helped 5 - he was a cool guy). I got a couple of hours through club volunteering. Then I was a teacher's aide (in the nurse's office, but occasionally they lent me to the main office) my junior year which was worth 30 hours. 

Being a teacher's aide was the easiest for me, can you do that in your school? It takes the place of one class during the day.


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## bezoomny (Feb 10, 2007)

lol @ the concept of "mandatory volunteer hours"


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## Lisa (Jul 8, 2006)

bezoomny said:


> lol @ the concept of "mandatory volunteer hours"


I was just going to say the same. If that is not a contradiction in turn then I dont know what is.


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## nothing to fear (Mar 23, 2005)

bezoomny said:


> lol @ the concept of "mandatory volunteer hours"


haha yeah i know i always thought of that.

i wouldn't be able to do the teacher's aid thing since my school is really small and wouldn't need anyone. i'm pretty stumped at what to do. i might go to my guidance counselor and ask for suggestions. i have until june 2009 so i have time.


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## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

Man, I'm glad I did the old curriculum. It's too bad they changed it.

Maybe you could volunteer at an animal shelter? Also, if you find your anxiety's not too bad around people who are older than you, a seniors' home or an adult literacy centre might be okay.


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## njodis (Nov 8, 2006)

I was lucky enough to be one year ahead of the first people to have to do the community service hours. Thank the stars above, because I would have hated that crap.

I'd probably go ask a counselor, yeah.


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## Perfectionist (Mar 19, 2004)

Ah yes. Mandatory volunteer hours. I needed 150 hours to graduate high school, so I know them well.

Can you do them in your community as well? There are usually several things around town, some sort of festival or celebration you could help with. If there is an sort of run or walk or fundraising event going around, they can always use people to man water stations and the like. Canadian Cancer Society is also an option, I volunteered a lot there. Any sort of society that needs people to do phone calls or canvass for donations.

At least at my school, there were lots of service clubs that met at lunch and stuff. You just kind of sit there and clock your hours, it isn't too disagreable.

Fourty will go by fairly quickly. Really.


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## TheFriendlyVirgin (Oct 25, 2008)

I think you should do your volunteer hours with children. I think like big brother/big sister or volunteer at a reading, math, or some type of tutoring program where it's you and the kids. You are helping the kids one on one or as a small group. The reason I say this is because I'm much more comfortable around kids than adults with my anxiety. Mainly because kids A. don't always notice differences in behavior, they live in a 'small world' and B. if they do notice, they don't care. They're less judgmental and don't expect a certain social behaviors. I also want to suggest the mentally challenged like special olympics, Easter Seals, etc. those kids/adults are usually easier to be around than 'normal' adults. Good luck.


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## Gordon2108 (Oct 23, 2008)

I have to do 10 hours of volunteer work that is somehow related to a research paper I must write to graduate. 

What im trying to do is make a website, some of my teachers dont seem to like that though. I honestly dont think I could graduate if I had to do 40 hours of actual volunteer service.


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## michellejl (Aug 20, 2006)

what about in a nursing home portering to and from programs? It requires very little interaction with the residents and the staff will love you!! You could also do some one on one visits with some of the residents. Many of them just like having someone in the room with them.


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## jellyfish (Jul 3, 2008)

Not an Ontario-an, but I (voluntarily) volunteer at the SPCA. Here, there are 2 kinds of volunteer positions -- working FOR the animals and WITH them. If you work FOR them, you usually have to do a lot of socializing, like calling other volunteers to organize fundraisers or running a table to sell things and talk to the public. But if you work WITH them, there's almost no socialization at all. Walking dogs and doing rabbit care can be done totally solo. Working with the cats is my favorite, though. We usually do that in groups of 2-4 people. I was nervous at first, because of the other volunteers and because a few potential adopters will come in and want to know about the cats' temperaments and such. But the more senior volunteers did most of the face-to-face work at first, while I worked with the cats and eavesdropped (to get an idea of what to say). After 6 months or so, I could do f2f fine on my own. I can't talk to strangers in any other environment, but at the shelter, potential adopters really appreciate anything you say, because you're like a kitty consultant. I have the information they want, so I know they won't be thinking poorly of me just for sharing it. The other volunteers are great, too. Everyone there has a common goal -- to save as many animals as possible, and make their lives as good as possible until they find homes. So we all get along really well. 

Of course you wouldn't have to stick around 6 months to fulfill 40h. 40 hours would be about 10 weeks, 1 shift per week, assuming that my SPCA is similar to yours. I really don't know, but I'd encourage you to check it out. It's one of the best choices I've ever made, I think.


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## Diamondog (Nov 10, 2008)

For my volunteer hours I did arts & crafts with kids at a local library. I had a really really good time doing it and managed to get 120+ hours after a couple of years. Children are so easy to work with... all you really need to do is make a couple of jokes, compliment their clothing and they'll love you


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## Mr. Orange (Apr 20, 2008)

I got most of mine helping coach a little league baseball team.


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## asdf (Jan 19, 2008)

I asked my recruiter to write me a letter that says i did my 20 hours or community service.


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