National Service Network: Flexible Youth Volunteering Across Canada
The National Service Network (NSN) is GLOCAL's flexible online volunteering program for Canadian youth aged 12 to 30. 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, supported by the Canada Service Corps.
Last reviewed 17 August 2026.
Our volunteer philosophy
Every youth comes with unique skills, knowledge, passions and goals, but too often volunteering programs do not take the time to ask or adapt. GLOCAL's all-you-can-volunteer program is your stage, network, incubator and launchpad.
- Your voice matters. We start by listening to your academic interests, career aspirations and personal passions.
- Co-designed experiences. Together we create a volunteer plan tailored to your goals and community needs.
- Guided and supported. We connect your plan to our broader civic-engagement framework, resources and national network.
What you'll do
The 2026–2027 opportunity uses flexible pathways. Mix and match activities based on your schedule, interests and skills.
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.
Training & workshops
Skill-building in leadership, communications, grants management, design thinking, research, community outreach, cybersecurity and data skills, with guest speakers and mentors.
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.
Previous NSN program models
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
- Find unusual Canadian street, neighbourhood, town or city names and share the story behind them.
- Share a saying in your native language and explain what it expresses about your culture or worldview.
- Recommend a must-try restaurant or dish in your city or town.
- Introduce a lesser-known park, local business, viewpoint or other hidden gem in your community.
- Share music by an artist or band from your area.
- Explore and share your cultural heritage.
- Take a bird's-eye photo of your shoes for a collective community collage.
- Share a pet photo and learn about pet-ownership policies in your municipality.
- Recommend a favourite comfort food and a local place that serves it.
- Describe a Canadian city or region you would like to visit.
- Attend a GLOCAL workshop or event and record the learning time.
Select Volunteering Track(s)
Tracks are our specialized work teams. You can focus on one or mix and match.
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
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.
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03
Digital
Building and improving GLOCAL's websites and digital products — youcount.ca and volunteer.youcount.ca — through UX/UI design, development and gamification.
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04
Outreach
Recruiting and onboarding volunteers and reaching out to potential partner organizations to grow GLOCAL's national civic-engagement network.
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05
Communication
Promoting events and workshops, copywriting, and creating content for GLOCAL's social-media accounts to make civic engagement visible and inviting.
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06
Compliance
Supporting the governance, privacy and program-integrity work that keeps GLOCAL's programs accountable, safe and aligned with funder requirements.
View moreWhat 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 youth movement shaping Canada's future through service.
Government corroboration
NSN is listed by the Canada Service Corps at Employment and Social Development Canada. Canada.ca describes flexible pathways from 30-minute micro-tasks to 100+ hour initiatives.