overview | contact a C.S.O. co-ordinator

| * Overview  top |

The Community Service Order Program has advantages for the community as well as for the offender. It encourages the offender to use his/her leisure time more constructively while, at the same time, giving him/her the opportunity to obtain skills and experience which could prove useful in the future.

By allowing the offender to stay in the community, employment and/or school may be continued, and family ties may remain without disruption. The community, in return, is provided with valuable volunteer assistance.

WHAT SERVICES ARE PROVIDED

C.S.O. volunteers provide a wide variety of services to many non-profit or tax-supported agencies and organizations within the community. Services may include participation in programs for the mentally or physically challenged, assistance to the elderly, supervision of children in day-care centres, help to coach in various sports, and assisting in Provincial Parks, local arenas, churches and schools.

Other special projects may also be implemented depending upon the needs of the community. It is also important to note that this volunteer work is not work which is ordinarily undertaken by paid staff, and is designed to enhance the services of organizations.

HOW DO YOU GET INVOLVED?

If your agency or organization has a non-profit or charitable status, you are eligible for a C.S.O. volunteer. Just call our office and one of our staff will explain the program and begin the process of matching suitable client(s) with your organization. Once placed, the client will be monitored regularly by our staff until the C.S.O. hours are completed.

HOW DOES THIS WORK?

The Ministry of Correctional Services developed the Community Service Order Program as an alternative to incarceration. When involvement in the program is considered appropriate, a judge will place an offender on probation with a condition that he/she provide a specified number ofhours of volunteer assistance to the community. It is the responsibility of the C.S.O. Program Co-ordinator to place C.S.O. clients with various agencies and organizations and to monitor their progress until the required number of hours are completed.

| * Contact a C.S.O. Co-ordinator  top |

To speak with a C.S.O. Co-ordinator, please contact:

Jennifer Hibbert - 905-259-2461 (Whitby, Oshawa)
John Rowe - 905-259-2457 (Port Perry, Uxbridge, Oshawa, Scugog, Clarington)

If you are interested in becoming a C.S.O. volunteer please contact CJA Durham