Youth Services Provision - Invitation to Quote

Background Woodley Town Council is committed to supporting positive outcomes and opportunities for children and young people living in Woodley. Although the provision of youth services is not a statutory responsibility of the Town Council, the Council has a longstanding commitment to investing in services and activities that benefit local young people. The Council's Strategy for Youth Services 2025-2030 provides the framework for how the Council will support youth provision during the strategy period. The Strategy has been developed following research and consultation with young people and relevant stakeholders and is intended to ensure that the Council's resources are used to support provision which is accessible, relevant and responsive to the needs of young people in Woodley. The Council is now seeking quotations from suitably experienced organisations and individuals to deliver youth services and/or activities during the forthcoming financial year (1 April 2027 - 31 March 2028), in support of the aims and priorities set out in the Youth Strategy. The opportunity Woodley Town Council is inviting quotations from suitably experienced and appropriately qualified youth service providers, voluntary and community organisations, social enterprises and other organisations with relevant experience to propose the delivery of youth services and activities within Woodley. The Council is deliberately adopting a flexible approach to the scope of this opportunity. It is not necessarily seeking a single provider to deliver all elements of youth provision. The Council may appoint one provider or a number of providers whose individual services and activities, taken together, contribute to the achievement of the Council's Youth Strategy objectives. Proposals may therefore focus on a particular group of young people, a particular youth work approach, or a specific activity or programme. For details of the current provision make up, please see the Council's Youth Service webpage. What the Council is looking for The Council is particularly interested in proposals which: engage children and young people broadly within the 9-21 age range; provide positive, safe and inclusive opportunities for young people; engage young people who may be vulnerable or at risk of becoming vulnerable; reach young people who are not currently engaging with existing youth provision; support young people's personal development, confidence, skills, wellbeing and connection with their community; provide opportunities for young people to participate in activities which are interesting, relevant and accessible to them; demonstrate an understanding of the local context and the needs of young people in Woodley; and where appropriate, complement rather than duplicate existing provision and work collaboratively with relevant local organisations and partners. The Council is particularly interested in provision taking place during school holidays and on Friday evenings, although proposals for other weekday evenings, weekends or particular dates/events will also be considered where they demonstrate a clear benefit to young people. Types of provision The Council is open to a broad range of proposals. Examples could include, but are not limited to: regular activity-led youth sessions; sports and physical activity; arts, music, creative or cultural activities; workshops, courses or training; personal development, employability or life-skills activities; mentoring or targeted support; leadership and volunteering opportunities; competitions and challenges; structured trips or one-off activities; targeted provision for particular groups or demographics; and other innovative approaches which support the aims of the Youth Strategy. Providers are encouraged to put forward proposals which they consider will have a meaningful and measurable benefit for young people rather than seeking to fit their service into a prescribed model. Location and accessibility The Council's priority is to fund provision which takes place within the Woodley Town Council boundary, or provision outside the boundary where the funding provides access and a clear benefit specifically to Woodley residents. Providers should identify the proposed location(s) of their provision and explain how the proposed venue and delivery model will enable young people to access the service. Outcomes and monitoring Proposals should explain the outcomes the provider expects to achieve and how these will be measured. The Council will be interested in evidence of both participation and impact. Depending on the nature of the service, this may include measures such as attendance, engagement with new participants, repeat participation, feedback from young people, progress against identified objectives, partnership working and other appropriate indicators. Providers will be expected to provide appropriate monitoring information and reporting to the Council during the contract period. Funding and contract period The Counci