The National Youth Service invites unemployed South African youth to apply for Phase V of the National Youth Service Programme 2026, offering 100,000 paid community service opportunities across all nine provinces.
Programme Application Closing Date: 30 August 2026
Programme Location: All nine provinces, South Africa
National Youth Service Phase V 2026
The National Youth Service Programme Phase V is offering 100,000 paid community service opportunities to unemployed young people across South Africa.
Participants will be placed in community-based service roles where they can gain practical workplace experience while contributing to local organisations and public-service initiatives.
Opportunities are available across all nine provinces.
Programme Overview
Programme: National Youth Service Phase V 2026
Number of opportunities: 100,000
Target group: Unemployed South African youth
Age requirement: 18–35 years
Pay rate: R24.18 per hour
Approximate monthly amount: About R1,547, based on the source estimate
Location: Nationwide
Application platform: SA Youth
Closing date: 30 August 2026
Application method: Online
Who Can Apply?
Applicants must:
- Be South African citizens.
- Be between 18 and 35 years old.
- Be currently unemployed.
- Not be studying full-time.
- Be registered or willing to register on the SA Youth platform.
- Be living in South Africa.
Young people living with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Qualification Requirements
The supplied information states that many opportunities do not have formal qualification barriers.
Requirements may differ depending on the specific placement.
Applicants should therefore read the requirements attached to each opportunity on SA Youth before applying.
Pay Rate
Participants may earn:
R24.18 per hour
The source estimates this at approximately:
R1,547 per month
The actual monthly amount may depend on the number of hours worked and the terms of the individual placement.
Types of Opportunities
National Youth Service placements may be available in community organisations and public-service environments such as:
- Schools
- Clinics
- Early childhood development centres
- Youth centres
- Non-profit organisations
- Community organisations
The source also gives examples of roles applicants may find, such as:
- Educator Assistant
- Office Administrator Assistant
- General Worker
- Desktop Support Assistant
Applicants should search SA Youth for the actual opportunities available in their location.
What Participants Can Gain
The programme is designed to help young people gain:
- Paid community-service experience.
- Verifiable work experience.
- Workplace discipline.
- Time-management skills.
- Teamwork skills.
- Communication skills.
- Basic administration experience.
- Employer or host-organisation references.
- Exposure that may support future applications for jobs, learnerships and internships.
Required Application Documents
Applicants should prepare:
- South African ID or ID number.
- Updated CV.
- Proof of residence where requested.
- Certified copies of qualifications where applicable.
Not every placement will require the same documents.
Applicants should follow the document requirements shown for the specific opportunity on SA Youth.
How to Apply for National Youth Service Phase V 2026
Applications must be submitted through the SA Youth platform.
Click here to apply for National Youth Service Phase V 2026
Applicants should:
- Register a profile on SA Youth.
- Complete all personal details.
- Add accurate education and contact information.
- Enter the correct residential location.
- Search for National Youth Service or NYS Phase V.
- Review opportunities available near you.
- Apply for suitable placements.
- Keep your phone number and email address active.
- Monitor SMS and email for possible communication from host organisations.
Registration on SA Youth is free.
Programme Application Closing Date
The current application window closes on:
30 August 2026
The source states that individual placements may fill continuously, so applicants should not wait until the closing date to apply.
Opportunities Across South Africa
The programme is available across all nine provinces:
- Eastern Cape
- Free State
- Gauteng
- KwaZulu-Natal
- Limpopo
- Mpumalanga
- Northern Cape
- North West
- Western Cape
Applicants should ensure that the location entered on their SA Youth profile is accurate so they can see suitable opportunities near them.
Important Application Notes
Applicants should note that:
- There are 100,000 targeted opportunities.
- Applicants must be aged 18–35.
- Applicants must be unemployed.
- Full-time students are not eligible according to the supplied information.
- Opportunities are available nationwide.
- Registration on SA Youth is free.
- Some placements may request proof of residence.
- Qualification requirements may differ by role.
- Individual opportunities may fill before 30 August 2026.
- Applicants should apply only through the official SA Youth platform.
- Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee placement.
Application Checklist
Before applying, confirm that:
- You are a South African citizen.
- You are between 18 and 35 years old.
- You are unemployed.
- You are not studying full-time.
- Your SA Youth profile is complete.
- Your location details are correct.
- Your CV is updated.
- Your ID details are correct.
- You have proof of residence available if requested.
- You check the requirements for each placement.
- You apply before 30 August 2026.