What is your role in the school? 

Confusion about your role may put you and your colleagues at risk of liability as well. If you have a partial 
assignment in your school and also work in a volunteer capacity, you have to be careful about your role 
while in that volunteer portion. For example, while in the school as a volunteer, you should not agree to 
cover a colleague’s class or let your colleague leave the class under your supervision. It is important that 
your colleagues recognize that you are not acting as a teacher in the school in the time period when you 
are actually volunteering. 

Working for no pay? 

Working for no pay is not something ETFO views to be in a member’s best interest. Your professional 
services are valuable to the employer and the education community. Work should be compensated. 
If work performed by volunteers is work of bargaining unit employees, then performing such work 
voluntarily may be depriving colleagues of paid work and may be contrary to one or more collective 
agreements. Other bargaining units outside ETFO may have specific language around not volunteering. 
Collective agreement rights may be an issue where a teacher volunteers to teach, a DECE volunteers to 
perform a DECE role, or a volunteer does the work of an educational assistant or CYW. 

TIPS 

If you do decide to volunteer for your employer or another school board, there are several tips that 
you should bear in mind: 

O Volunteering in a school setting is by choice and members should not be coerced or 

pressured by promises of full-time work.

O There should be a formal written plan in place clarifying the scope of your volunteer role.
O The hours of the volunteer work should be formalized.
O If you are not being paid as a classroom teacher, DECE, EA, PSP, or ESP, you should not 

be taking on the responsibilities of that position. The classroom teacher must have all 
responsibility for planning, supervision, discipline, assessment, communications with 
parents, and teaching.

O All parties should be aware of the limitations you have in your volunteer capacity: this 

includes staff colleagues, students, and parents: It must be clear that you are attending in 
a volunteer capacity.

O Continue to conduct yourself professionally. Maintain boundaries. Maintain reliable, 

diligent and professional work habits. Maintain positive, professional relationships 
with staff. Recognize that you are in an employment environment. If you would not do 
something as a teacher or DECE, don’t do it as a volunteer.

O Minimize your involvement in activities that will expose you to risk of injury or liability for 

which you have no or limited coverage.

O Ensure that the volunteer placement is limited.
O Be sure to notify the school administration when participating in a field trip or event 

outside your paid assignment.

You can also refer to the ETFO Reference Book “Volunteering in the Worksite” Policy Statement 
77.0. for additional information re volunteering. 

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ELEMENTARY TEACHERS’ FEDERATION OF ONTARIO 

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