The Executive Office (TEO) Communities in Transition (CIT): Addressing Exploitation Programme in the North Down CIT Area

Description

The Executive Office (TEO) is seeking to establish a Contract for the provision of an Addressing Exploitation programme within the North Down CIT Area; this relates to Kilcooley and Rathgill (a map of the designated area is attached at Annex A of the Specification). This programme will facilitate building a resilient community through a participatory community approach, advocating collaboration with statutory, community and voluntary bodies responsible for maintaining safety in our communities, to increase the number of individuals and organisations working to create safe communities and improve the capabilities of those already working to create safe communities. The core purpose of this programme is multi-fold: • To raise awareness and educate the community on the various forms of exploitation which may be impacting on their community (this includes sexual, child criminal and monetary); • To build trust and understanding between the communities and statutory agencies (primarily response services) working in this field, with the aim of encouraging meaningful relationships so they can work better together to eliminate/minimise exploitation in their community; • To encourage / empower communities to take a proactive role in improving community safety in their area; and • Support those who are victims of exploitation and reduce the number of people who are vulnerable to paramilitary influence and control. This tender is linked to the Communities in Transition (CIT) Project which had been due to end in March 2024 however the Executive made a commitment to extend the overall Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime (EPPOC) to March 2027. As CIT is a key element of EPPOC, it has also been extended to 31 March 2027. This phase of delivery is classed as Phase 3 of CIT and will operate from 01 April 2025 – 31 March 2027. 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 presented an opportunity to further refine the work under a thematic approach as we move forward. Phase 3 will see delivery move from a thematic approach to an issues-based approach focusing on the key issues caused by paramilitarism in communities. This Contract falls under Phase 3 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, described at paragraph 6.5 of the Specification. The Contractor must not be delivering general community safety activities as part of this programme, activities must be clearly linked to addressing exploitation issues which have arisen as a result of living in a community with high levels of paramilitary activity, criminality and organised crime and, to the Benefits Framework (as listed at paragraph 6.6 of the Specification). Full details of all the requirements for this Contract are provided for within the Specification of Requirements Schedule. It is anticipated that the Contract will commence in April 2025 and run until March 2026 with the option to extend for a further period of 12 months, up to 31 March 2027.