The Executive Office (TEO) Communities in Transition (CIT): Regional Ex-Prisoner Education and Employment Support Programme in the Derry / Londonderry, Lurgan, North Belfast and West Belfast CIT Areas

Tender description

The Executive Office (TEO) is seeking to establish a Contract for the provision of a Regional Ex-Prisoner Education and Employment Support Programme to support those who continue to face barriers to their full civic participation in the Derry / Londonderry, Lurgan, North Belfast and West Belfast CIT Areas. Annex A of the Specification provides maps of the area. 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 programme will incorporate and deliver a number of programme activities, as described at paragraph 6.5 of the Specification. Full details of all the requirements for this Contract are provided for within the Specification of Requirements Schedule. The core purpose of the proposed intervention for these 4 CIT areas is multi-fold: • To provide support for Ex-Prisoners to overcome barriers they face • To address the issues of isolation and marginalisation impacting the Ex-Prisoner community • To help counter the negative community narratives around the barriers that continue to exist for former prisoners which contributes to continuing support for armed violence and paramilitary activity and acts as a negative influence particularly on 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 6.6 of the Specification). The Contractor must not be delivering general activities as part of this programme, activities must be clearly linked to addressing the needs of Ex-Prisoners 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 January 2023 for a period of one year.