The Community Youth Work Offer - NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board

This notice is an intention to award a contract under the above threshold open procedure (Light Touch) process.

NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (referred to as the Commissioner) intend to commission a Community Youth Work Offer.

The Community Youth Work Offer will provide needs led emotional wellbeing and mental health support for young people aged 11-18 in Norfolk and Waveney with the overall aim to help young people achieve their goals and have improved mental health. The offer will provide one to one and group-based support using Youth Work approaches and will demonstrate a Neighbourhood teams model of working through integration and alignment with existing NHS commissioned, Local Authority, Primary Care Network and VCSE offers.

Young people who access support from this offer are likely to be experiencing social, emotional, and mental health and wellbeing challenges and the provider will be experienced in providing support and promoting recovery for young people with these issues.

Support will be targeted towards young people experiencing health inequalities, and those not attending education settings. The service will provide holistic and youth-centred support specifically designed to improve health care access for these target groups.

Youth workers will listen to the voice of young people and provide local activities and events for them to attend. These activities and events will aim to improve confidence, self-esteem, and social connections for young people.

The proposed contract is for a period of 3 years with an annual value of £850,000 per annum full inclusive of any applicable VAT. At the discretion of NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB and depending on demand and financial availability, up to an additional £100,000 may be awarded per financial year. This is not a guaranteed available sum and should not be factored into financial planning for the service.

This notice is an intention to award a contract under the above threshold open procedure (Light Touch) process. The Community Youth Offer is an existing service. The successful provider identified is an existing provider.

In accordance with Section 51 of the Act, NHS Arden & GEM CSU and the Commissioner will be adopting a voluntary standstill period, which means that a minimum eight (8) working day standstill period will apply before the contract is concluded. The standstill period will start on Friday 16th January 2026. The Standstill period will end midnight Wednesday 28th January 2026. The contract will not be entered in to before Thursday 29th January 2026.