The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development is implementing the National Apprenticeship and Graduate Volunteer Programme. The Programme aims at improving youth transition into employment and enhancing labour productivity, as part of the national efforts to address the growing challenge of youth unemployment and its ramifications. One of the key objectives of the Programme is to develop work-readiness skills among the fresh graduates through work placement training, coaching and mentorship.

Graduate Volunteerism involves the engagement of individuals of working age in unpaid work aimed at acquiring employable skills, gaining work experience, building professional networks, and enhancing social standing.

Under the Graduate Volunteer Component, graduates are placed in public, private, and civil society organisations to gain practical experience, build professional networks, acquire work-readiness skills, and improve their transition into the labour market. This initiative plays a critical role in addressing youth unemployment, underemployment, persistent skills mismatch and lack of workplace skills and experience among graduates. It gives them exposure to the real work environment, thus creating a clear potential route to employment.

Owing to the importance of this Programme, Government has allocated funds in the FY 2025/26 to support the work placement training, coaching and mentorship of graduates.

The Ministry now invites suitable institutions to express interest in hosting Graduate Volunteers under the MASV Programme. Under this arrangement, due diligence will be conducted on all selected host organisations, and only those that meet the required criteria will be contacted. Successful Host institutions will then be assigned graduate volunteers whose skills and qualifications align with their respective areas of operation.

Eliability Criteria for Host Institution

Interested institutions should meet the following minimum requirements:

1. In line qualified and experienced staff to support effective supervision, coaching, mentorship and training of Graduate Volunteers;

2. it possesses the necessary infrastructure, tools, equipment, and workspaces to support meaningful and safe work-based learning experiences;

3. its be legally registered and operating in accordance with the laws of Uganda, and no good standing with relevant authorities;

4. for Demonstrate compliance with national rules and uphold ethical workplace practices, including non-discrimination, equal opportunity, and protection from harassment and exploitation; and

5. have good business standing, with a history of ethical conduct, positive community and client relations, and no pending legal or financial disputes that could affect operations.

Interested institutions should complete and submit the Host Institution Application Form, available on the Ministry’s website at https://agyp.nnplad.go.ug. All applications must be submitted online through the link provided on the website.

Please note that only eligible and approved host institutions will be granted access to engage and select suitable graduate volunteers from the pool of successful candidates through the online matching system, based on their specific needs and qualifications.

For further information, please contact:
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development
Gender and Labour House, Plot 2, George Street
PO Box 7136
KAWPALA
Tel: 041-21-20-740
Email: turv@fnplad.go.ug

Commissioner: Labour, Industrial Relations and Productivity
Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development
Gender and Labour House, Plot 2, George Street
P.O. Box 7136
KAWPALA
Tel: 041-21-25-1483
Email: djrp@fnplad.go.ug