diff --git a/talent/participation.md b/talent/participation.md
index 1667ceddc..c11c0165a 100644
--- a/talent/participation.md
+++ b/talent/participation.md
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
   "priority": 10,
   "tier": 3,
   "output": "json",
+  "schema": "participation.schema.json",
   "load": {
     "transcripts": true,
     "percepts": true,
diff --git a/talent/participation.schema.json b/talent/participation.schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cf12a44e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/talent/participation.schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
+  "type": "object",
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "required": ["participation"],
+  "properties": {
+    "participation": {
+      "type": "array",
+      "items": {
+        "type": "object",
+        "additionalProperties": false,
+        "required": ["name", "role", "source", "confidence", "context", "entity_id"],
+        "properties": {
+          "name": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "minLength": 1
+          },
+          "role": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "enum": ["attendee", "mentioned"]
+          },
+          "source": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "enum": ["voice", "speaker_label", "transcript", "screen", "other"]
+          },
+          "confidence": {
+            "type": "number",
+            "minimum": 0,
+            "maximum": 1
+          },
+          "context": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "entity_id": {
+            "type": "null"
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "participation_confidence": {
+      "type": "number",
+      "minimum": 0,
+      "maximum": 1
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/talent/participation_entry.schema.json b/talent/participation_entry.schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7d104387c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/talent/participation_entry.schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
+  "type": "object",
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "required": ["name", "role", "source", "confidence", "context", "entity_id"],
+  "properties": {
+    "name": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "minLength": 1
+    },
+    "role": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "enum": ["attendee", "mentioned"]
+    },
+    "source": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "enum": ["voice", "speaker_label", "transcript", "screen", "other"]
+    },
+    "confidence": {
+      "type": "number",
+      "minimum": 0,
+      "maximum": 1
+    },
+    "context": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "entity_id": {
+      "type": "null"
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/baselines/api/stats/stats.json b/tests/baselines/api/stats/stats.json
index a700baf68..fb3e93d3a 100644
--- a/tests/baselines/api/stats/stats.json
+++ b/tests/baselines/api/stats/stats.json
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@
       "path": "<PROJECT>/talent/participation.md",
       "priority": 10,
       "schedule": "activity",
+      "schema": "participation.schema.json",
       "source": "system",
       "tier": 3,
       "title": "Participation",
diff --git a/tests/test_participation_schema.py b/tests/test_participation_schema.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4eb36a17b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_participation_schema.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
+# Copyright (c) 2026 sol pbc
+
+import json
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from jsonschema import Draft202012Validator
+
+from think.talent import get_talent
+
+TALENT_DIR = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1] / "talent"
+PARTICIPATION_ENTRY_SCHEMA_PATH = TALENT_DIR / "participation_entry.schema.json"
+PARTICIPATION_SCHEMA_PATH = TALENT_DIR / "participation.schema.json"
+
+
+def _load_json(path: Path) -> dict:
+    return json.loads(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+
+
+def test_participation_entry_schema_is_valid_draft_2020_12():
+    schema = _load_json(PARTICIPATION_ENTRY_SCHEMA_PATH)
+
+    Draft202012Validator.check_schema(schema)
+
+    assert schema["$schema"] == "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
+
+
+def test_participation_schema_is_valid_and_matches_loaded():
+    schema = _load_json(PARTICIPATION_SCHEMA_PATH)
+
+    Draft202012Validator.check_schema(schema)
+
+    assert get_talent("participation")["json_schema"] == schema
+
+
+def test_participation_schema_items_match_fragment():
+    schema = _load_json(PARTICIPATION_SCHEMA_PATH)
+    fragment = _load_json(PARTICIPATION_ENTRY_SCHEMA_PATH)
+
+    items = dict(schema["properties"]["participation"]["items"])
+    fragment_without_schema = dict(fragment)
+    fragment_without_schema.pop("$schema")
+
+    assert items == fragment_without_schema
diff --git a/tests/test_participation_talent.py b/tests/test_participation_talent.py
index 728e41767..8520e6ea7 100644
--- a/tests/test_participation_talent.py
+++ b/tests/test_participation_talent.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ def test_participation_talent_frontmatter_and_placeholders():
     assert post.metadata["activities"] == ["*"]
     assert post.metadata["tier"] == 3
     assert post.metadata["output"] == "json"
+    assert post.metadata["schema"] == "participation.schema.json"
     assert post.metadata["priority"] == 10
     assert post.metadata["load"]["talents"]["sense"] is True