The Teacher-Volunteer in Ontario - Abstract Study on Teacher-Volunteerism

Oct 15, 2026

The study explores “teacher-volunteerism” in Ontario, Canada, focusing on certified teachers who remain active in the teaching labour market yet volunteer within schools amid job insecurity. Using qualitative interviews with unemployed and underemployed teachers, the research analyzes volunteers’ experiences and teaching-related practices. Results show teacher-volunteerism is driven mainly by employment concerns and reflects new expectations placed on un(der)employed teachers seeking paid work, while highlighting overlaps between teaching work and labour.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Context

Background

Teachers and Volunteering

The Teacher-Volunteer in Ontario Michael Mindzak Brock University Abstract This study explored the practice of “teacher-volunteerism” in Ontario, Canada. A teacher-volunteer refers to those teachers who are fully certified to be employed as teachers in Ontario and who remain active in the teaching labour market. Teachers in Ontario, facing a competitive labour market, have increasingly volunteered inside of schools. Drawing on qualitative interviews with unemployed and underemployed teachers in Ontario, the paper examines and discusses experiences concerning volunteerism within this context. Findings revealed that teacher-volunteerism is largely motivated by employment-related concerns, with volunteers engaging in various teaching-related practices inside of schools. Teacher-volunteerism is understood as a new expectation faced by un(der)employed teachers as they seek paid employment. The exploration of teacher-volunteerism leads to further interrogation surrounding the intersections of teachers’ work and labour in the field of education. Keywords: teachers, work, employment, unemployment, underemployment, volunteerism Context In the past decade, thousands of teachers in Ontario, Canada have faced significant challenges with securing employment in the teaching profession. As a result of continued unemployment, teachers have resorted to teaching contingently, relocating and moving abroad, or exiting the teacher labour market altogether (Ontario College of Teachers [OCT], 2013, 2014). Similarly, due to extended periods of underemployment, teachers who have found limited opportunities in teaching have had to accept part-time or contingent employment arrangements rather than full-time, permanent positions (Chalikakis, 2012; Pollock, 2008). Among teachers attempting to gain employment in schools, some also have resorted to the practice of volunteering (OCT, 2012; Pollock, 2010). Such “teacher-volunteers” thus have appeared in the provincial educational landscape in recent years, seemingly in direct relation to continued teaching un(der)employment across Ontario. Background Around the year 2000, it appeared that Ontario might face a significant and impending shortage of qualified teachers (Grimmett & Young, 2012; Guppy & Davies, 1996; Ontario Ministry of Education, 2001; Press & Lawton, 1999; Smith, 1989; Tremblay, 1997). In response, the province introduced policies to increase the supply of new teachers, with teacher-education institutions and accredited programs expanded to meet the anticipated demand as well as the introduction of early retirement incentives. Hence, during the period 1998-2002, teacher demographics alongside these policies created a strong demand for new teachers in Ontario. However, as more teachers enrolled in teacher preparation programs, and as internationally educated teachers entered Ontario in greater numbers, the teacher labour market became increasingly competitive from about 2005 onwards (OCT, 2012). Since then, as teacher retirements began to decrease while the supply of new teachers simultaneously increased, new teacher unemployment and underemployment rates surged annually (OCT, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013). Teacher un(der)employment continues to occur unevenly across Ontario. Variables such as geographical location, teacher specialization, and policy all influence the number of employment opportunities at any given time. However, overall, trends from the past 15 years point to a large surplus of teachers in Ontario. With limited data, it remains difficult to discern the exact number of actual unemployed or underemployed teachers within the labour market. Such estimates would need to clearly define what constitutes teacher unemployment and underemployment as well as consider the number of teachers who have exited teaching employment altogether. Nonetheless, the number of such teachers in the province can be estimated in the tens of thousands (Pearce, 2012). For example

FAQs

What does “teacher-volunteer” mean in the study?

A teacher-volunteer is a fully certified teacher employed as a teacher in Ontario who remains active in the teaching labour market and volunteers inside schools.

What motivates teachers to volunteer according to the findings?

Teacher-volunteerism is largely motivated by employment-related concerns, with volunteers engaging in teaching-related practices to improve job prospects.

How does teacher unemployment and underemployment shape volunteering in Ontario?

As unemployment and underemployment persist, teachers facing limited opportunities use volunteering as a job search strategy, even though it does not guarantee future paid employment.

Oct 15, 2026

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