During the Ontario Youth Volunteer Challenge, there were five different events with a total of 33 locations across the Region of Peel to choose from. Details are noted below for each.

Event #1 (Note: Caledon location only)
Volunteer at a public library by assisting with a used book sale.

The Region of Peel typically holds a used book sale during this timeframe. By participating in this existing event, students will be able to assist with the promotion of the donation of used books to their local library, sort and price books on display for sale, design marketing signage/flyers to reach out to the community, greet the public who attend and assist the library staff as required. Students will also be provided with the opportunity to learn more about how the local library operates and how it serves the community.

Event #2
Cleaning up gardens and plant flowers at seniors’ long-term care homes and/or supportive housing buildings.

Students participating in this event will have the opportunity to prepare and plant gardens that are located at not-for-profit seniors’ long-term care homes or at supportive housing developments within the Region of Peel. Residents of the home or housing development will also work with the students so that a gender-gap relationship can be developed. A component of this event will be to learn more details about gardening (i.e. perennials, annuals, etc.) and how gardens can have a positive impact on the environment.

Event #3
Cleaning up community parks, trails, sports and recreation facilities.

Throughout the Region of Peel, students will have the opportunity to conduct a ‘Spring Cleaning’ of their local parks, trails, sports and recreation facilities. In addition to collecting misplaced garbage, students will also participate in an environmental scan to note any issues of concern that they feel should be brought forward for review. A component of this event will be to learn how to take better care of our local parks and the effects that garbage have on the community we live in.

Event #4
Volunteer at second-hand/thrift stores for a ‘Spring Sale’ event.

At select second-hand and thrift stores across the Region of Peel, students will co-ordinate the logistics of a ‘Spring Sale’ event. By participating in this event, students will have the opportunity to create marketing/promotional approaches (i.e. flyers, etc.) and assist the stores with the effective retail lay-out of merchandise to include sorting and creative displays, greet the public who attend the sale and assist the store staff as required. Students will learn how stores who resale used goods help the community and the environment.

Event #5
Plant trees, repair trails, etc. working with Conservation Authority, TRCA and others.

Working with existing events that will be taking place in celebration of Earth Day, students will have the opportunity to work with environmental groups and the conservation authority in planting trees, repairing trails, removing of evasive matters (i.e. vines, etc.). A component of this experience will be to learn how to take better care of the environment and how the environment takes care of us.

Click here for a complete list of locations.