Outreachy has opened its Call for Community Participation for the December 2026 internship cohort, inviting free and open source software communities to participate in the programme. New communities can submit applications to become participating Outreachy communities, while experienced open source contributors are encouraged to serve as mentors and propose internship projects. The community application and project submission deadline is 11 September 2026 at 4:00 pm UTC. The opportunity provides open source communities with an avenue to support diversity and inclusion in open source while offering participants access to paid, remote internship opportunities. About Outreachy Outreachy is a programme focused on increasing diversity in open source and supporting people who face underrepresentation, systemic bias or other barriers to participation in technology and open source communities. The programme provides paid, remote internships through participating free and open source software communities. Interns contribute to real-world projects while gaining practical experience, mentorship and opportunities to build professional networks within the open source ecosystem. For the December 2026 cohort, Outreachy is inviting both established and new communities to participate. Communities that have previously participated can sign up again, while communities that have never participated are required to complete a new community application. Who Can Participate as a Community? New free and open source software communities interested in joining Outreachy can apply to participate in the December 2026 cohort. Before applying, communities should review the official community participation guidance and confirm whether they have participated in a previous Outreachy round. Communities already listed among previous participants should not submit a new application. Instead, their coordinators should follow the relevant community page and register the community to participate again. Experienced contributors within participating communities can also become Outreachy mentors. Mentors are expected to review the mentor guidance before submitting project descriptions and should be prepared to provide appropriate technical guidance and support to Outreachy interns throughout their placements. Key Dates for the December 2026 Cohort The December 2026 Outreachy cycle follows a structured application, contribution and selection process. Key dates include: 17 August 2026, 4:00 pm UTC: Community sign-up opens. 24 August 2026, 4:00 pm UTC: Initial applications open. 31 August 2026, 4:00 pm UTC: Initial application deadline. 11 September 2026, 4:00 pm UTC: Deadline for communities to sign up to mentor. 11 September 2026, 4:00 pm UTC: Deadline for mentors to submit project descriptions. 5 October 2026: Contribution period begins. 2 November 2026: Contribution period ends. 2 November 2026, 4:00 pm UTC: Final application deadline. 16 November 2026: Intern selection deadline. 20 November 2026: Outreachy organisers finalise selections. 30 November 2026, 4:00 pm UTC: Interns are publicly announced. 7 December 2026 to 8 March 2027: Internship period. Participating and Past Communities Outreachy has worked with a broad range of open source and technology communities. Previous and participating communities include major projects and organisations such as Python, Linux Kernel, Debian, Mozilla, Wikimedia Foundation, WordPress, Kubernetes, OpenStreetMap, GNOME, LibreOffice, OpenMRS, Open Data Kit, UNICEF Innovation, Creative Commons, Fedora, Rust, TensorFlow, QGIS, OpenStack and Ushahidi. The programme also includes communities working across areas such as scientific computing, data science, cybersecurity, digital rights, humanitarian technology, health technology, open science and software development. For the December 2026 cohort, Onyinye12_ is listed as a pending community that has applied to participate. Mentors are encouraged to submit projects while the community’s application is under review. How New Communities Can Apply Communities that have never participated in Outreachy can begin by reviewing the community participation guide. They should first check the list of past communities to determine whether their project has previously participated. If the community has participated before, the coordinator should use the existing community page to register for the new cohort. If it has not participated previously, the community can submit a new application. The application process is designed to ensure that participating communities can provide suitable internship projects, effective mentorship and an inclusive environment for interns. Why Communities Should Participate Joining Outreachy gives open source communities an opportunity to broaden participation within their projects while benefiting from contributions from new and diverse talent. Mentors can support emerging contributors, strengthen their communities and help interns develop practical skills through meaningful open source work. For organisations and projects committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in technology, Outreachy provides a structured framework for combining mentorship, paid remote work and contribution to free and open source software. Communities interested in participating in the December 2026 cohort should prepare their applications and mentor project descriptions ahead of the 11 September 2026, 4:00 pm UTC deadline. Questions about participation can be directed to Outreachy organisers after reviewing the programme’s community participation guidance. VISIT OFFICIAL WEBSITE TO APPLY For more opportunities such as these please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and WPChannel Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) shares    jobs, internships, fellowships, grants, scholarships, and other opportunities for informational purposes only. GSO does not participate in the recruitment or selection process. Applicants should verify the vacancy details, eligibility requirements, application process, and deadline through the official organisation before applying.