The Community Service Order Program has advantages for the community as well as for those in conflict with the law. It encourages our users to participate actively in his/her leisure time and to use that time in a more constructive manner. It also provides opportunity to obtain skills and experience which could prove useful in the future.
By allowing users of this program 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.
SERVICES ARE PROVIDED
Community Service Order (CSO) volunteers provide a wide variety of services to many non-profit or tax-supported agencies and organizations within the community. Supervised services may include participation in programs for those with accessibility needs, assistance to the elderly, supervision of children in day-care centres, help assist coaches in various sports, and assisting in Provincial Parks, local arenas, food service, 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.
GET INVOLVED
If your company or organization has a non-profit or charitable status, you are eligible for a Community Service Order 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 CSO hours are completed.
The Ministry of Community Safety and 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 the person before the court on probation with a condition that he/she will provide a specific number of hours of volunteer assistance to the community. It is the responsibility of the CSO Program Manager to place CSO clients with various companies, agencies and organizations and to monitor their progress until the required hours are completed.