FAQ
- How do I sign up?
- Does the Volunteer Network Program assign volunteer placements?
- How do I apply for an opportunity?
- What is the purpose of the Log Hours sheet?
- Can I log hours for volunteering I did before joining VNP?
- Can I log hours from non-VNP affiliated opportunities?
- I volunteer at the same place on a regular basis, do I have to get my hours sheet signed every day?
- Where do I hand in my hours’ sheet?
- Are my hours cumulative?
- Do I have to do a certain number of hours in one semester in order to reach a certain level of the VNP Rewards System chart?
- I read the newsletter but I haven’t seen any volunteer placements of interest to me.
- I was interested in a volunteer position posted in an older newsletter, but when I click on the link, it says that the posting doesn’t exist anymore?
- Who runs the Volunteer Network Program?
- Is VNP running during the summer?
- Can I log my hours during the summer?
- I’m not taking classes during the summer, can I still log hours?
- There was a deadline to hand in your hours for this semester, what does it mean?
- I’ve missed the deadline, can I still hand in my sheet with hours done beforethe deadline (will they still count?)
There are two ways of signing up to the Volunteer Network Program.
1. By using the online sign up on www.scsu.ca/vnp
2. By sending your name, student number, and preferred email address vnp@scsu.ca
Does the Volunteer Network Program assign volunteer placements?
The VNP does not assign placements to its members. When signed up with the program, you receive a newsletter every Monday informing you of volunteer opportunities, on/off campus, around the Greater Toronto Area. You then have the freedom of choosing and applying for opportunities that interest you using the contact information included in the opportunity’s description.
How do I apply for an opportunity?
You apply to an opportunity by following the instructions in the section “Steps to Apply” included in every volunteer position’s description. If you need help with this step, contact vnp@scsu.ca.
What is the purpose of the Log Hours sheet?
When volunteering, you use an Hours Log Sheet to keep a record of your hours. Accumulating your hours makes you eligible for certificates, awards and potentially a scholarship.
More information on the Hours Log Sheet and the VNP Rewards System can be found above.
Can I log hours for volunteering I did before joining VNP?
Only hours logged after signing up with the Volunteer Network Program are accepted.
Can I log hours from non-VNP affiliated opportunities?
You may log hours for non-VNP affiliated opportunities using the Hours Log Sheet the same way you would for VNP affiliated placements. The only difference is that we ask for the contact information of your volunteer supervisor in order to do a formal verification.
I volunteer at the same place on a regular basis, do I have to get my hours sheet signed every day?
To make it more convenient for you and your volunteer supervisor, you can simply write down the dates during which you volunteer in the date square, then, at the end of the month, you write the total of hours in the hours square and you get your sheet signed.
For example, if you were to volunteer on Oct. 5th, 7th, 8th, 10th for one hour every day, you would write Oct. 5th, 7th, 8th, 10th in the “dates” square, and 4h in the “hours” square.
Where do I hand in my hours’ sheet?
You can simply drop it off at the SCSU front desk.
Yes, all your hours log sheets are kept in your personal file and every time you give us more hours, we add them to the previous total.
Do I have to do a certain number of hours in one semester in order to reach a certain level of the VNP Rewards System chart?
No, you start collecting hours from the time you join the VNP to the moment you leave it. All your hours are accumulated throughout that period, may that be months or years. Which means that you do not have to do 72 hours in one semester in order to reach Platinum Level, you can take your time and accumulate your hours over your duration in the program.
I read the newsletter but I haven’t seen any volunteer placements of interest to me.
Feel free to write to vnp@scsu.ca if you are looking for a certain type or specific type of volunteer work, we are affiliated with around 60 organizations, there’s bound to be something for you in our database and if there isn’t, we’ll go find something!
I was interested in a volunteer position posted in an older newsletter, but when I click on the link, it says that the posting doesn’t exist anymore?
The links on the newsletters expire after a week, which means that the links in previous newsletters will not work. If you are interested in an older posting that doesn’t “exist” anymore, shoot an email to vnp@scsu.ca
Who runs the Volunteer Network Program?
The Volunteer Network Program (VNP) is run by the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU). It is managed by the Vice-President Human Resources and the Volunteer Network Program Coordinator.
Is VNP running during the summer?
Yes, VNP is a year-round program.
Can I log my hours during the summer?
Yes you can! Same process: download sheet, volunteer, fill it out, hand it to the SCSU office. The SCSU summer office hours will be posted on the website.
I’m not taking classes during the summer, can I still log hours?
As long as you are enrolled in the next year (fall, winter or both), your summer hours will count.
There was a deadline to hand in your hours for this semester, what does it mean?
VNP sends out certificates and prizes at the end of every semester (please read *The VNP Information Page* for more information). The deadline means that you will be receiving a certificate
according the number of hours you’ve logged with us (accumulated) up until that deadline.
I’ve missed the deadline, can I still hand in my sheet with hours done before the deadline (will they still count?)
Yes, you can still hand it your hours past the deadline (e.g. over the summer), it only means that you will have to wait for the next deadline (e.g. end of summer semester) to receive a certificate including those hours.
