Students who are expected to take part in Volunteer Service activities as a mandatory component of the Flexible Studies Program:
1. All Grade 9/10 Flex English Cohort afternoon students
2. All Grade 9/10 FRIM Flex English & Math Students
3. Any student who has been a member of the grade 9/10 junior program will automatically be enrolled in Flex Service for grades 11 and 12 in order to complete the 4 credit service program unless the student arranges differently.
ASSESSMENT
Each year (unit) of this program consists of 1 credit (the grade 9 credit is formally added to grade 10 so that 4 credits may be eligible for the graduation program. This program is also very valuable for Graduation Transition Planning and resumes :-)
Students will be entered in an online Google Classroom and keep an ongoing account of their Service activities located there in a log sheet. Student hours logged will be formally reported at the end of each semester with corresponding percents (see below)
Hours should be up to date in Google Classroom for the Sem. 1 report by the second Friday in January and for Sem. 2 by the first Friday in June. Students should reflect on their volunteer experiences in the "notes" section of the Log.
*If an electronic tracking system is challenging for you please see Heather or Brad for alternatives.
WHAT COUNTS & DOESN't COUNT?
- non-paid activities that help others (some grey area with honorariums-- see us if you have questions)
- Chores at home do not count--they are your responsibility as a family member :-)
- Helping out at a relative's place of work counts
- Helping neighbours counts--e.g. raking leaves
- Both school and non-school connected volunteering counts
- Fundraising, promoting etc. for a cause counts but participation like the time it takes "running for the cure" for example doesn't count
- If you were helping out at a kids camp, you can count time you are directly involved "working" at the camp but not meal time and sleep time...
- If you are part of a band, choir etc. and you play a benefit concert for free to raise money for a cause you would not count your practice time but you could count the actually contributory time to the concert
- Bake Sale or similar... you can count your shopping/preparing time of the item... not the time it is in the oven and you are doing something else :-)
- There are often collections at the school... when these happen a time equivalent amount will be given... for example if you make a "hamper bag"... 10-12 small items in a Ziploc bag for the homeless that = 2 hours of service
- When in doubt come and talk to us
Log of hours (% Grade)
*note that at the end of semester 1 we will be looking to see 1/2 the hours for each percent.
0-4 (No grade-- Incomplete)
5-9 (60)
10-14 (70)
15-19 (80)
20-24 (86)
25-29 (88)
30-34 (90)
35-39 (92)
40-44 (94)
45-49 (96)
50+ (100)
Work Habit will be determined based on quality of reflections.
Generally Speaking 5- 19 hours is Satisfactory, 20-30 hours is Good and 90+ hours is Excellent if the reflection is strong
Work habits drop a notch if the reflection is missing or weak
*Students going above and beyond by achieving 50 hours or more will be eligible for a school service award at the end of the year.
*Students must submit all documentation by the end of the first week in May to be eligible. You may include hours that you know you will be completing up to the end of June, just enter with a date that they will be done.
Click Here to check out the Duke of Edinburgh Site. Students may wish to take part in this optional internationally recognized program.
S in VOICES
Service to others
The Flexible Studies Program values service to others and thus students are given the opportunity to develop positive character attributes and a sense of social responsibility through participating in organized service projects and volunteer work within the school and surrounding community every year. Here are 10 reasons why we value community service (adapted from UC SanDiego – https://students.ucsd.edu/student-life/involvement/community/reasons.html).
#10: It's good for you.
Volunteering provides physical and mental rewards. It:
#9: It saves resources.
Volunteering provides valuable community services so more money can be spent on local improvements.
#8: Volunteers gain professional experience.
#7: It brings people together.
As a volunteer you can assist in:
#6: It promotes personal growth and self-esteem.
Understanding community needs helps foster empathy and self-efficacy.
#5: Volunteering strengthens your community.
As a volunteer you can help:
#4: You learn a lot.
Volunteers learn things like these:
#3: You get a chance to give back.
People like to support community resources or programs (like sports teams you might be on or organizations like the BC Cancer Agency) that they use themselves or that benefit people they care about.
#2: Volunteering encourages civic responsibility.
Community service and volunteerism are an investment in our community and the people who live in it.
#1: You make a difference.
Every person counts!
Service to others
The Flexible Studies Program values service to others and thus students are given the opportunity to develop positive character attributes and a sense of social responsibility through participating in organized service projects and volunteer work within the school and surrounding community every year. Here are 10 reasons why we value community service (adapted from UC SanDiego – https://students.ucsd.edu/student-life/involvement/community/reasons.html).
#10: It's good for you.
Volunteering provides physical and mental rewards. It:
- Reduces stress: Experts report that when you focus on someone other than yourself, it interrupts usual tension-producing patterns.
- Makes you healthier: Moods and emotions, like optimism, joy, and control over one's fate,
- strengthen the immune system.
#9: It saves resources.
Volunteering provides valuable community services so more money can be spent on local improvements.
#8: Volunteers gain professional experience.
- You can test out a career.
- You can develop your work ethic.
- You can make connections to community members for future employment or references.
#7: It brings people together.
As a volunteer you can assist in:
- Uniting people from diverse backgrounds to work toward a common goal.
- Building camaraderie and teamwork.
#6: It promotes personal growth and self-esteem.
Understanding community needs helps foster empathy and self-efficacy.
#5: Volunteering strengthens your community.
As a volunteer you can help:
- Support community members (babysitting, helping elders, community projects).
- Improve school tone & culture as well as other needed services (tutoring, tours, grounds clean up).
- Support younger children in the school district (coaching, reading buddies, crafts).
- Improve Environmental Sustainability (beach and park cleanups, tree planting, gardens).
#4: You learn a lot.
Volunteers learn things like these:
- Self: Volunteers discover hidden talents that may change your view on your self-worth.
- Government: Through working with local non-profit agencies, volunteers learn about the functions and operation of our government.
- Community: Volunteers gain knowledge of local resources available to solve community needs.
#3: You get a chance to give back.
People like to support community resources or programs (like sports teams you might be on or organizations like the BC Cancer Agency) that they use themselves or that benefit people they care about.
#2: Volunteering encourages civic responsibility.
Community service and volunteerism are an investment in our community and the people who live in it.
#1: You make a difference.
Every person counts!