Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about YouthVolunteer certification and awards.
- Which organizations can certify volunteer hours?
- Registered nonprofit organizations, schools, libraries, hospitals, or government agencies that host volunteer programs, and faith-based institutions for non-religious service activities (e.g., food drives, tutoring, community clean-up). School clubs may certify hours only for time spent teaching or mentoring junior students — not general participation hours.
- Who must certify my hours?
- An authorized supervisor or coordinator from the organization — not a parent or relative. An adult with official capacity at the organization must sign. For school clubs, both a club officer and the club advisor (usually a teacher) must certify.
- What proof do I need to provide?
- You may upload a signed Volunteer Certification Form, an official letter on the organization's letterhead confirming hours and duties, or a printed digital portal log (e.g., HandsOn Connect, GivePulse) with an authorized signature. Screenshots are not acceptable.
- Can my supervisor verify online without an account?
- Yes. After you submit, your supervisor receives an email with a secure link. They click the link, review your submission details, and confirm your hours — no app or account needed.
- How are hours counted cumulatively?
- All qualifying volunteer hours earned at any point during grades 6–12 are added together. If you earned 120 hours in grade 7 and 80 more in grade 10, your total is 200 cumulative certified hours — enough for the Youth Service Excellence Award.
- My school already records my volunteer hours. Do I need a record in this registry?
- Yes — you may create a record here for hours your school has already logged, and keep adding to it over the years even if you change schools. A school record generally stays with that school; this one is independent of it and follows you. That gives you better visibility with colleges, universities and other organizations, and it also makes you eligible for our recognition awards.
- Can I count hours from multiple organizations?
- Yes. Submit a separate certification for each organization. All approved hours are added to your cumulative record.
- What activities do NOT count?
- Paid work or internships (even at nonprofits), hours already counted toward another program (e.g., Boy Scouts, religious confirmation), court-ordered or legally-mandated service, religious instruction or worship activities, and household chores.
- Is there any fee to apply?
- No. There is no fee to apply for recognition. The registry is free for all student volunteers, and we intend to keep it that way — it is central to why we exist.
- Can students under 13 apply?
- Yes, students in grade 6 and above may apply regardless of age. Every applicant under 18 — which includes all students under 13 — needs a parent or guardian to approve the account before it can be used. You give a parent or guardian email address when you register, we email them a consent request, and the account stays inactive until they approve it. No volunteer hours can be submitted before that. We collect only the information necessary for certification, and a parent or guardian may contact us at any time to access, correct, or delete their child's data. See our Privacy Policy for what we hold and why.
- How long does approval take?
- After your supervisor verifies your hours, our team typically reviews submissions within 5–10 business days. You can track your status in real time on your dashboard.
- What if my supervisor doesn't respond?
- The verification link remains valid for 60 days. If your supervisor hasn't responded, follow up with them directly and ask them to check their inbox (and spam folder). If you need to update the supervisor email, contact us.
- When will the scholarship program launch?
- A YouthVolunteer scholarship is planned to launch in the program's first 2–3 years. Only Youth Service Leader Award recipients (500+ cumulative hours) will be eligible. Details will be announced on this website.
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