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National Service Network: Flexible Volunteering Across Canada

The National Service Network (NSN) is GLOCAL's flexible online volunteering program bringing Canadians of all ages, backgrounds and geographic locations together. Choose from micro-tasks that take as little as 30 minutes, skill-building workshops, team projects across six tracks, or lead your own initiative. Applications are open and the program runs Canada-wide.

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Last reviewed 17 August 2026.

Flexible pathways

What you'll do

The 2026–2027 opportunity uses flexible pathways. Mix and match activities based on your schedule, interests and skills.

30 minutes–2 hours

Bite-sized civic challenges

Try short "missions" as a youth consultant, digital builder, researcher or designer — from analyzing new Statistics Canada data to filming a landmark for our "Where Am I?" series.

From 2 hours · varies by workshop

Training & workshops

Skill-building in leadership, communications, grants management, design thinking, research, community outreach, cybersecurity and data skills, with guest speakers and mentors.

10–60 hours

Passion-driven projects

Choose a civic issue that matters to you and volunteer with a local organization, launch your own initiative, or join one of GLOCAL's six track-based micro-projects.

A note on hours and certificates

Earlier NSN cohorts used different structured-hour models, including 40-hour and 120-hour recognition tracks. The current 2026–2027 opportunity uses flexible pathways. Requirements for certificates or specific placements are explained in the current participant terms. Actual volunteer hours are recognized as completed.

Select Volunteering Track(s)

Tracks are our specialized work teams. You can focus on one or mix and match.

GLOCAL civic dialogue on media censorship, with researchers and community members. 01

Research

Conducting and assembling information on civic topics — from homelessness to climate — to bring about more inclusive, accessible and engaging democratic participation with a global understanding.

View more GLOCAL civic-data infographic of 2021 federal election ridings with the most and least candidates. 02

Data

Compiling and verifying information from databases — such as municipal-level contact information for elected officials across Canada — and turning it into accessible civic tools.

View more Youth-built Candidate Information Dashboard and CivicEngage iOS app from the GLOCAL Digital track. 03

Digital

Building and improving GLOCAL's websites and digital products — youcount.ca and volunteer.youcount.ca — through UX/UI design, development and gamification.

View more GLOCAL volunteers gathered around a community table. 04

Outreach

Recruiting and onboarding volunteers and reaching out to potential partner organizations to grow GLOCAL's national civic-engagement network.

View more YouCount Canada social-media frame from a GLOCAL youth civic-engagement campaign. 05

Communication

Promoting events and workshops, copywriting, and creating content for GLOCAL's social-media accounts to make civic engagement visible and inviting.

View more Rights In Motion, a GLOCAL e-toolkit for protest and advocacy work in Canada. 06

Compliance

Supporting the governance, privacy and program-integrity work that keeps GLOCAL's programs accountable, safe and aligned with funder requirements.

View more

What you'll gain

  • A digital certificate of verified civic service.
  • A skill portfolio you can use for school, jobs or microgrant applications.
  • Mentorship and networking with professionals and peers across Canada.
  • Priority access to GLOCAL's microgrants, summer jobs and storytelling initiatives.
  • A place in a nationwide community shaping Canada's future through service.

Explore service opportunities Read the FAQ

Past outreach and community connections

GLOCAL outreach table at a volunteer fair.A past orientation session.Participants listening together in a meeting room.A group exchanging ideas around a table.A collage of footwear photographed in different places.A circle of participants’ shoes.Participants sharing a break together.A group photograph after a community gathering.School Green Club growing and recycling activities.Volleyball at the Kugaaruk Open Gym initiative.Two participants playing accordion and guitar.Participants outside the Franco-Centre and in roundtable conversations at the Nunavut Regional Showcase.GLOCAL team taking part in Canada Day in Iqaluit.A collection of sports and music activities.Nunavut Day community activities in Arctic Bay and Iqaluit.Community members exchanging ideas around a table.Conversation continuing around a shared table.Conversation around a shared table.GLOCAL group outside Parliament.A room filled with guests listening at a GLOCAL gathering.Participants gathering for a group photograph.A speaker addressing guests beside project posters.Youth and guests together at a previous gathering.Guests listening to remarks at the Hill.A group photograph at the 2024 Hill gathering.Remarks at the February 2024 GLOCAL on the Hill gathering.A community group outside Parliament in winter.Participants beside youth project posters.Participants gathered for a roundtable conversation.A speaker in conversation with participants around a table.A large group gathered in a meeting room.Guests gathered among project displays in a large hall.Presenters speaking at a lectern.A group photograph in a parliamentary meeting room.Participants in conversation inside Parliament.Project posters and participants throughout the event hall.
GLOCAL photo archive · Past outreach, shared learning and community activities. Current online volunteering is available across Canada; older displays reflect earlier cohorts.

Meet the network

Outreach tables and orientations introduce people to GLOCAL and create space for questions. These photographs show earlier activities; current online volunteering can be done from across Canada.

Learn through small contributions

Creative challenges, shared conversations and project work provide different entry points. Choose an activity that fits your interests, then build toward a portfolio of contributions across the six volunteer tracks. Read the volunteering FAQs.

Read Ben Knoll’s full volunteer testimonial.
A volunteer’s perspective
“My supervisors have been incredibly supportive, offering clarification whenever I needed it, alongside insightful feedback on my work that I feel has helped me grow both as a video editor and researcher.”

Ben Knoll · Research Volunteer

Previous NSN program models

Canada Service Corps reference

This archive preserves information that appeared on the original GLOCAL website. It describes earlier cohorts and is not the current 2026–2027 requirement.

Earlier 120-hour, three-module pathway

Earlier material invited participants to complete 120 hours before December 2026 through three modules:

  • 30 hours of training and civic exploration — 20 sessions selected from workshops, seminars and events in leadership, communications, grants management, design thinking, research, outreach, cybersecurity and data skills.
  • 60 hours of passion-driven civic projects — work on education, climate, mental health, culture, justice or another non-partisan issue through a local organization, an independent initiative or one of GLOCAL's six tracks.
  • 30 hours of bite-sized civic challenges — short missions such as reviewing public data, designing e-toolkits, interviewing community members and testing government or YouCount services.

The original page referred to a 120-hour certificate signed by the responsible federal minister. Certificate terms for current participants are governed by the current participant agreement.

Earlier time-commitment options

The original site also described three informal options: approximately five hours per year, five hours per month or five hours per week. These were estimates, not binding limits; actual volunteer hours were recognized according to work completed.

Original sample weekly fun challenges
  1. Find unusual Canadian street, neighbourhood, town or city names and share the story behind them.
  2. Share a saying in your native language and explain what it expresses about your culture or worldview.
  3. Recommend a must-try restaurant or dish in your city or town.
  4. Introduce a lesser-known park, local business, viewpoint or other hidden gem in your community.
  5. Share music by an artist or band from your area.
  6. Explore and share your cultural heritage.
  7. Take a bird's-eye photo of your shoes for a collective community collage.
  8. Share a pet photo and learn about pet-ownership policies in your municipality.
  9. Recommend a favourite comfort food and a local place that serves it.
  10. Describe a Canadian city or region you would like to visit.
  11. Attend a GLOCAL workshop or event and record the learning time.
For educators

GLOCAL Educator Community Service Support

For educators who volunteer their time and expertise to guide youth in community service.

We appreciate the time, care and knowledge educators contribute. GLOCAL provides in-kind project materials and supplies to support educators working with underserved youth, helping them turn students’ ideas into meaningful community contributions.

Support can help students research a community need, curate useful resources, design a digital project or organize a service initiative. Students should help shape the work and contribute to something that benefits others.

Materials and supplies only. No cash funding is offered. Tell us what you need, the quantities and estimated costs, and how each item will support your initiative.

Who can apply?

Educators affiliated with a school or educational institution in Canada who serve underserved youth are welcome to apply. This includes students facing financial, geographic, accessibility, language or other barriers to participation.

Your initiative should involve meaningful student contributions through civic engagement or community service. You must be willing to act as a volunteer supervisor, independently or with a co-supervisor, to guide students and document their contributions and service hours. Any necessary school approval must be obtained before the initiative begins.

Classroom, school-wide and community-partner initiatives are welcome, including new ideas and improvements to existing activities.

In-kind support program guide: sharing your project

Help us see what your students created, learned and contributed to their community. Keep documentation simple and relevant to your initiative:

  • Project plans: a brief outline of your activities, intended outcomes and materials needed.
  • Photos, videos and testimonials: share moments, student work and feedback that tell your project's story.
  • A short report or reflection: what you did, what you learned and how your community benefited.
  • Receipts and supporting documents: keep relevant receipts, delivery records and planning documents for the materials used.

Social media posts are welcome too. Share links to posts celebrating your students' work and community contributions.

Support is in-kind only; receipts do not create eligibility for cash reimbursement.

Rolling applications: Requests will be accepted on a rolling basis until available support is fully allocated. Support is subject to review and availability; submitting a request does not guarantee that materials will be provided.

Apply for project materials

Application opens in Google Forms in a new tab.