The Executive Office (TEO) Communities in Transition (CIT): Youth Programme in the West Belfast CIT Area

Tender description

The Executive Office (TEO) is seeking to establish a Contract for the provision of a Youth programme in the West Belfast CIT Area (maps of the designated areas are attached at Annex A of the Specification). The programme will provide a training opportunity to existing unqualified youth workers in order to better equip them to provided direct support to vulnerable young people in collaboration with those best placed to do so. The programme will help to meet the identified needs of the area, taking positive action to address barriers impacting young people through providing opportunities for them to get involved in community life thereby increasing their aspirations for the future. This tender is linked to the Communities in Transition (CIT) Project which had been due to end in June 2021, however the Executive made a commitment within ‘New Decade New Approach’ to continue its delivery with a renewed focus and additional funding up to 31 March 2024. The CIT Project is therefore being delivered in two phases, with Phase 1 having been completed in 30 June 2021 and Phase 2 to be completed by 31 March 2024. Phase 1 of the Project provided a firm foundation for continuing to address the issues that allow paramilitarism, criminality and coercive control to persist within communities. Phase 2 presents an opportunity to further refine the work as we move forward. This Contract falls under Phase 2 and will support the Department in its overall delivery of the CIT Project. The Contractor’s Youth programme will incorporate and deliver a number of programme activities, described at paragraph 6.4 of the Specification. Full details of all the requirements for this Contract are provided for within the Specification of Requirements Schedule. The purpose of this programme of work will be multi-fold to: • Build the capacity of youth workers in the local community to support young people to achieve the necessary skills and qualifications to enable them to aspire to a better quality of life • Increase the number of individuals and organisations working to create safe and confident communities free from paramilitarism • Improve learning outcomes for young people All activities which the Contractor proposes to carry out must clearly link to the objectives listed above and to the Benefits Framework (as listed at paragraph 6.5 of the Specification). The Contractor must not be delivering general youth activities as part of this programme, activities must be clearly linked to addressing the needs of children and young people which have arisen as a result of living in a community with high levels of paramilitary activity, criminality and organised crime. The Contractor will be expected to start delivering the Contract in mid-January 2023 for a period of one year.