Volunteer Program

 As a leader in children’s music education and performance, the CCOC strives to connect and inspire through artistic storytelling while building a community of confident, resilient, and empathic young people. The world-class arts education and unique opportunities for professional experience that your chorister receives at CCOC is not possible without the ongoing hands-on support from each of our families as volunteers and fundraisers.

PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE!

As a non-profit, registered charity with a mighty but very small staff to execute all of the roles and tasks associated with running the organization, we must rely on the support of our community to ensure that we can continue to offer our programs to your choristers! This is why part of your role as a CCOC Family is to contribute to the organization as a volunteer.

2022/2023 season volunteer program

FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS 

This year the CCOC Volunteer Program asks that our families contribute to the organization by obtaining a total of 20 volunteer credits (10 for those who register mid-season) by the end of the 22/23 season.

In order for families to earn these credits, parents/caregivers can sign up for any number of different volunteer tasks that the CCOC has available throughout the season. The CCOC offers a wide range of tasks suited to different personalities and skills!

Volunteer opportunities are announced at rehearsals and in weekly memos, so be sure to check your emails to see how you can contribute!

 

how credits are assigned to volunteer tasks

THE CCOC USES THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA TO ASSIGN A CREDIT VALUE TO A TASK

Volunteer credits do not necessarily align directly with the number of hours contributed to a task, some tasks earn more credits than time put in by the volunteer (e.g. tasks requiring a specific skill set) and some earn less (e.g. tasks that don’t require much skill or commitment). Volunteer credits are assigned based on the following criteria:

 

  • Difficulty of the task
  • Location, date and time of the task
  • Length of time taken to complete the task
  • Whether or not the task required an individual with unique training or skills
  • The importance of the task and the value of its completion to the CCOC

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE

Throughout the season, the CCOC team will connect you with a variety of tasks that you can choose from to earn your family’s 20 credits! There are tons of ways that families can offer up their help, including but not limited to:  

  • Bingo Program Volunteers
  • Weekly Rehearsal Assistants
  • Performance/Concert Assistants
  • Main Stage Production Assistants
  • COC Backstage Assistants (Principal Chorus parents/guardians only)
  • Office Assistants
  • Chorister Referrals
  • Marketing and Promotions Assistants
  • Fundraising Assistants
  • Family Club positions and events
  • Standing Committees of the Board

YOU TELL US! Do you have any skills that you’re willing to share with the CCOC? Let us know how you think you might be able to contribute and we’ll find a job for you.

the bingo program

EARN YOUR VOLUNTEER CREDITS FAST 

A great way for families to earn their 20 credits is to become a Bingo volunteer. Bingo volunteers are trained representatives of the CCOC who work in pairs for two-hour shifts at a provincially-run gaming center (Rama Gaming House – Toronto East at Kennedy & Lawrence).

The best part of being a Bingo volunteer is that this opportunity earns you DOUBLE the credits which means that working just FIVE SHIFTS of Bingo earns your family its entire requirement for the year! 

EARN 1 CREDIT JUST FOR COMPLETING THE TRAINING MODULE TO BECOME A CERTIFIED CCOC BINGO VOLUNTEER!

opting out of the 22/23 volunteer program

If you cannot or prefer not to participate in any volunteer activities during the season, you have the option to opt out of the Volunteer Program and contribute towards the CCOC with a donation instead. This is perfectly fine! It’s your choice how you wish to make your contribution. Whether you contribute financially or with your time, your contribution directly benefits YOUR chorister.

Donation amounts for opting out of the Volunteer Program have been calculated to be roughly 20% of your chorister’s tuition amount.

BUTTERYFLY CHORUS – $150

RUBY CHORUS – $200

APPRENTICE CHORUS – $250

INTERMEDIATE CHORUS – $275

PRINCIPAL CHORUS – $400

YOUTH CHORUS – $250 

If you would like to make the donation to opt out, follow the link above to the donation form, input the donation amount for your child’s choir, and connect with us at registrar@canadianchildrensopera.com to let us know that you would like the donation to apply to the Volunteer Program!  

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What if I don’t have the time to volunteer and cannot make the donation to opt out of the Volunteer Program? The Volunteer Program is not intended to be a burden on our families, rather a chance for our families to connect with each other while also supporting the CCOC as we strive to provide a world of opportunities for your choristers. However, we understand that completing this program may not be possible for everyone. If your family isn’t able to complete the Volunteer Program please connect with our Executive Director, Katherine Semcesen at katherine@canadianchildrensopera.com.

What happens if I don’t earn any volunteer credits throughout the season? If your family doesn’t earn any volunteer credits by the end of the season and you have not yet made a donation to opt out of the program, you will be sent an invoice at the end of the season for the donation amount relating to your chorister’s choir. 

What happens if I earn some, but not all of the credits? For families who are able to earn some, but not all of the required 20 credits by the end of the season, a discount relating to the percentage of credits earned will be deducted from your donation amount.

How does the Volunteer Program work if I have multiple choristers at the CCOC? In order to make the Volunteer Program more approachable for families with multiple choristers, we’ve made it so that the number of credits we ask for doesn’t increase per chorister. All of our families are asked to earn 20 credits no matter how many children they have in the program. However, if a family with mutiple choristers would like opt out by contributing with a donation, we do ask that the donation is made for each of the choirs that their children participate in. These families also have the option to earn up to half of the credits (10 credits) through a donation and complete the other half (10 credits) by volunteering.

How does the Volunteer Program work for families starting with the CCOC mid-season? In order to make the Volunteer Program more approachable for families who register with the CCOC mid-season, the program requirements are altered to reflect the amount of time that they have to complete the program. These families are asked to earn only 10 credits, and the donation amount requested to opt out of the program is also altered to be roughly 20% of your choristers mid-season tuition fees. The donation amounts for families who have registered mid-season to opt out of the program are as follows:

 Butterfly Chorus – $110

Ruby Chorus – $150

Apprentice Chorus – $190

Intermediate Chorus – $210

Principal Chorus – $300

Youth Chorus – $190

Can my chorister earn volunteer credits towards the CCOC Volunteer Program? Choristers and siblings are welcome to volunteer with the CCOC to help them achieve their community volunteer hours towards completing the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. However, their participation does not earn credits towards the families requirements. 

Who can I reach out to with questions about the Volunteer Program? You can reach out to our Registrar & Operations Coordinator, Alice Norton-Bell at registrar@canadianchildrensopera.com