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Orientation Serves (OServes)
Orientation Serves (OServes)
Orientation Serves (OServes)
Orientation Serves (OServes) gives first-year students the opportunity to connect with local non-profit organizations for an afternoon of volunteering. You'll get to know more about the London community, discover how these organizations help, and learn how you can make a positive impact.
Get excited! OServes is Saturday, September 12 from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
OServes at a Glance
OServes 2026 Schedule
| Time | Activity |
| 12:30 p.m. | Students meet with Sophs and walk to activities together |
| 1:00 p.m. | Student sign-in |
| 1:15 p.m. | Community partner events begin |
| 2:50 p.m. | Event wrap-up |
Explore OServes Events
Create handmade “Kindness Cards” to be delivered to pediatric patients with Crafting for a Cure! Participants will also reflect on their own childhood experiences through an interactive board titled “What Would Have Made You Smile as a Kid?”.
Join Nokee Kwe in creating Indigenous beaded rings through a hands-on beading activity. The rings made during the event will support the non-profit organization's community engagement initiatives and be shared with clients and community members.
OnTalent Innovation Playground will host an interactive experience featuring hands-on STEM, innovation, and teamwork challenges. Through activities such as paper plane design, creative problem-solving challenges, and other beginner-friendly activities, students will explore how science, technology and design can be used to support and strengthen their communities.
Choose between decorating tote bags, making cards, or adding a star to Dream Team's Wish Wall in support of Make-A-Wish. Students will create thoughtful messages and designs that bring encouragement, joy, and hope to Wish Kids and their families. Whether you're designing, writing, or sharing a wish, your contribution will help spread kindness and brighten someone's day.
Motionball hosts an exciting afternoon of inclusive sports and games alongside Special Olympics athletes! Rotate through interactive activity stations featuring soccer, ultimate frisbee, relay races, spike ball, bocce, cornhole, and more while building teamwork, staying active, and learning about inclusion in sport and community engagement.
Create your very own ButterFLY Kite Kit while learning how to support monarch butterfly conservation with Mr Klite's Flying Circus. Participants will cut, fold, and assemble a monarch butterfly kite, then prepare a seed packet with wildflower and milkweed seeds to attach alongside an informational bookmark. The bookmark includes instructions for creating a monarch habitat at home and tips for protecting these important pollinators. Students will leave with a meaningful keepsake they can fly or display, along with the knowledge and resources to make a positive impact on local biodiversity.
Join the Africa Institute and WeBridge in decorating tie-dye t-shirts for children attending their 2027 summer camp. Learn about the organizations' work supporting newcomer and African communities while creating a shirt for a camper and a matching one to take home. This hands-on service activity is a simple way to help create a welcoming experience for future campers.
Join the STEAM Education Centre as they lead an interactive, hands-on event celebrating their 10th anniversary through collaborative design and creativity. Students will work in teams to prototype different elements of a future anniversary showcase event, including interactive public installations, children’s activities, event branding, etc.
AgriCom hosts an interactive exploration of traditional Haudenosaunee food systems, home gardening, and sustainable growing practices. Through team challenges, hands-on activities, and plant-based learning, students will discover the significance of the Haudenosaunee Three Sisters crop, connect with peers, and gain the confidence to grow their own plants. Participants will leave with a free plant, their own Three Sisters artwork, and a deeper appreciation for Haudenosaunee knowledge, Indigenous traditions, and sustainable living.
Letters Across Oceans is an interactive service-learning experience focused on connection, belonging, and the newcomer experience, hosted by the African Students Association. Participants will create thoughtful, personalized letters of welcome and encouragement while learning about newcomer settlement in London and the importance of building supportive communities across cultures. Along the way, students will discover meaningful ways to continue supporting newcomers beyond OWeek.
Create welcome kits for black high school students with the Black Students Association (BSA)! Participants will assemble kits filled with culturally relevant resources, information about Black owned businesses and organizations in London, and hair care products. Through this hands on service activity, students will help foster connection, belonging and empowerment for Black youth in the local community.
Join the Gender Equality Coalition of Ontario in a creative and empowering event focused on gender justice and advocacy! Students will design protest signs, contribute to social media content through photography, and engage in meaningful conversations about gender equality while supporting ongoing advocacy efforts in the community.
Explore gender equality and raise awareness about gender-based violence with Changing Ways and the Muslim Resource Centre! Through button-making, bookmark creation, collaborative zine-making, and interactive poster activities, participants will reflect on topics such as healthy masculinity, freedom from gender expectations, and what a world free from gender-based violence could look like. Together, students will contribute to a collective awareness campaign while creating meaningful pieces that help spark conversations and promote positive change.
Ready for some friendly competition for a great cause? Join us for an action-packed circuit featuring obstacle courses, trivia, puzzles, and a clown costume challenge. Along the way, learn about the vital support and resources Ronald McDonald House provides to families in our community.
*Please note, this activity is for Huron Students only.
Western Serves Network
Want to stay involved with upcoming volunteering opportunities? Western Serves Network can connect you with community partners offering one-off, or ongoing volunteering opportunities.