PRISA extends PRISMS Young Voices 2026 application deadline
The extension gives aspiring communications professionals and final-year students under the age of 30 additional time to apply, reflecting PRISA's commitment to developing practitioners who combine commercial acumen, strategic thinking, and ethical practice.
As the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA) enters a new leadership phase focused on strengthening professional standards across Africa, the institute has extended the application deadline for PRISMS Young Voices 2026.
The extension gives aspiring communications professionals and final-year students under the age of 30 additional time to apply, reflecting PRISA’s commitment to developing practitioners who combine commercial acumen, strategic thinking, and ethical practice.
PRISMS Young Voices was established to bridge the gap between emerging talent and industry leadership by giving selected participants direct exposure to the PRISMS judging process, award-winning campaigns, mentorship, and meaningful engagement with some of South Africa’s leading communications professionals.
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The programme forms part of the 2026 PRISMS Awards, themed ‘Kaleidoscope: Patterns of Impact Across Past, Present & Future’.
In a profession that continues to evolve through technological innovation and changing audience expectations, PRISMS Young Voices aims to identify and develop the next generation of strategic communicators who will shape the future of public relations across Africa.
Chief judge of the 2026 PRISMS Awards, Thabisile Phumo, said public relations is one of the few professions where you are expected to understand business, society, culture, and people often all at once.
She added that this is what makes the profession both challenging and incredibly rewarding.
“For young professionals, there has never been a more exciting time to build a career in communications.
“As our profession continues to evolve, we need practitioners who are curious, commercially aware, and able to think strategically. Creating opportunities to learn from experienced professionals and engage with award-winning work is an important part of building that future,” said Phumo.
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Selected participants will receive:
• Industry mentorship and networking opportunities.
• Exposure to award-winning campaigns and the PRISMS judging process.
• Professional development opportunities and valuable industry insights.
• Visibility through PRISA and PRISMS communication platforms.
• Access to a growing network of PRISMS Young Voices alumni.
How to apply
Applicants are required to submit either a 200- to 250-word motivation or a three- to five-minute video explaining why they should be selected for PRISMS Young Voices 2026.
Applications should be emailed to prisms@prisa.co.za with the subject line: PYV 2026 Application and your full name.
The application deadline has been extended, and submissions will now close on August 15 at 23:59.
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“Many young professionals spend years trying to gain access to the rooms where important industry conversations take place. PRISMS Young Voices opens that door much earlier. It offers participants a rare opportunity to observe excellence, engage directly with industry leaders, and better understand the standards that shape our profession,” she said.
Phumo concluded by encouraging young communications professionals to take advantage of the opportunity and apply for the programme.
“If you’ve been considering applying, I encourage you to take this opportunity. You never know where one application, one conversation, or one connection could lead,” she said.
