How to turn in volunteer hours with GYC

What are volunteer hours?

Volunteer hours are the time spent serving your community through GYC and other approved volunteer organizations. See Policy & Procedures, Article VI, Volunteer Hour System in the GYC Handbook. View the handbook at GYC's office at 501 Yanceyville St. Note: GYC used to refer to volunteer hours as 'points.'

2010-2011 New Volunteer Hours Policies

Every councilperson shall be subject to the rules of the volunteer hour system and shall be required to submit the required number of hours for the period prescribed by the council. The rate awarded for each hour may be increased by the Executive Board for a particular undertaking of the council. Otherwise, the volunteer hour rate shall be as follows:

• ½ volunteer hour per half-hour (30-60 minutes) of active GYC participation
• 1 volunteer hour per hour (60-75 minutes) of active GYC participation

Active GYC participation is to include activities such as council meetings, committee meetings, project work, and any council work assignments.

Justifiable Volunteer Hour

A justifiable volunteer hour for “work” is not “quantity” time gained “hanging around the office” or socializing at a GYC event; only hours of the effort can be counted. For example, if a total of four hours are spent at a project, but only two hours are spent actually working, then only two hours maybe counted.

Instructions for Turning in Volunteer Hours:

• Whenever appropriate volunteer work is done, record the date, activity and hours worked.
• Total the number of hours at the end of each month and write it at the bottom of the page.
• Turn in your volunteer hours every month.
• Volunteer hour sheets can be turned in to the Records Director, an advisor, or put in the point box at Full Council. You can also mail them to the GYC office or e-mail them.
• Remember to put your name, school and grade on all your hours sheets.
• Please be as detailed as possible when recording hours. For instance, write “stuffing envelopes at office” instead of “office work” or “ticket seller, 4-6 pm, operations, 6-8 pm” instead of “carnival.”

Ways you can earn volunteer hours:

GYC offers several ways to earn hours each month:

• Volunteering at GYC projects.
• Hanging up GYC posters. You can earn half an hour for this activity and up to three each month by doing this.
• Driving a volunteer to the office or a project. You earn one hour from this.

Volunteer hours from other organizations:

• From September to November and February to April, five of the 10 required hours for GYC may come from other approved organizations with a signature from an agency representative.
• All hours from January must come from GYC, as only five hours are required.
• All hours from May must come from GYC due to Carnival.
• For a list of approved agencies GYC will accept volunteer hours from see Appendix F in the GYC Handbook. View the handbook at GYC's office at 501 Yanceyville St.

What if I can't get all of my hours for a month?

Sometimes you may find it difficult to maintain the hours required every month due to other activities such as sports, performances, job, and etc. Here is what we need to waive the hours. Send a simple letter stating the reason and the month of the waiver. Only two (2) waivers are allowed per person per operational year.

Below are two examples of acceptable volunteer hour waivers:

Example 1

Dear Executive Board,

I was unable to earn the hours necessary for the month of November because I play on the Grimsley varsity basketball team. I had practice three times a week and sometimes two games within the same week. I plan to earn all hours for next month. If you have any questions please call me at 373-2623.

Thank you,
Name, Grade
School 

Example 2

Dear Executive Board,

I need to take two months leave of absence due to swimming. This will start the month of March and end at the beginning of May. If you have any questions please call me at 373- 2733.

Thank you,

Name, Grade
School

GYC Volunteer Hours Sheet