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London's VRU Boys, Young Men and Future Fathers Support Services

The Mayor's Office for Policing And Crime

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Tender

24 Sep 2026 at 09:04

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

31 Jul 2026 at 16:35

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime is commissioning London-wide support for boys and young men, with three complementary service areas. These cover intensive mentoring for care-experienced young people; training for fathers, male carers and practitioners who support them; and prevention and workforce development in education settings, including pupil referral units, alternative provision and linked secondary schools. The programme aims to build trusted relationships, confidence, resilience, healthy relationships and digital literacy, and help young people challenge harmful online influences. Mentoring may include one-to-one support and light-touch advocacy, while training may use workshops, coaching and practical resources. School-based delivery may combine group work with staff development. Providers will work with young people and the adults and services around them across London.

The buyer invited offers through an open procedure. The tender sets an enquiry deadline of 9 October 2026 at 13:00 and a submission deadline of 29 October 2026 at 13:00; bids may be submitted electronically in English. The award decision is due by 31 December 2026. The total estimated value is £1,822,875.60 including VAT, divided into three lots: intensive mentoring (£987,657.60), training for fathers, carers and practitioners (£295,218), and education-setting support (£540,000). All lots are evaluated on quality, weighted at 100%. Lots 1 and 2 run from 1 February 2027 to 28 February 2029; Lot 3 runs from 4 January 2027 to 31 July 2029. Each lot may be extended by up to 24 months, in 12-month increments.

The opportunity suits specialist youth, care, training and education providers, including small and medium-sized businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises. Lot 1 calls for sustained, relationship-based mentoring for boys and young men in care, including those affected by violence, exploitation, social exclusion or youth justice involvement. Experience working alongside social care, education, health, youth justice and probation partners is relevant, as is the ability to maintain continuity and complement statutory services. Lot 2 suits providers able to train fathers, carers and residential or semi-independent care staff, and show that learning leads to lasting changes in practice. Lot 3 calls for group interventions, relationships and wellbeing work, digital literacy and staff development in school settings; delivery should fit existing safeguarding, RSHE, PSHE and pastoral systems. All lots require a quality-led service; providers can bid for relevant service areas.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

London's VRU Boys, Young Men and Future Fathers Support Services

Notice Description

Project Background: Research commissioned by the Greater London Authority on Understanding the Manosphere (2025) found that many boys and young men are navigating increasing uncertainty around identity, masculinity, purpose and belonging. Evidence suggests that social isolation, loneliness, limited access to trusted adults, and exposure to harmful online content can increase vulnerability to misogynistic and harmful online narratives. At the same time, research highlights that boys and young men are seeking guidance on issues such as relationships, identity, wellbeing and masculinity, often in online spaces that can expose them to harmful or misleading content. Emerging evidence indicates that strengthening critical thinking, digital literacy and opportunities for open discussion and reflection can help young people to better understand, question and challenge harmful content and online influences. Research also demonstrates the importance of trusted relationships, positive male role models, supportive peer networks and meaningful offline spaces as protective factors that support healthy identity development, resilience, wellbeing and positive relationships. These opportunities can help boys and young men explore identity, belonging, relationships and different experiences and expressions of masculinity in safe and supportive environments. This evidence sits within a broader context of concern about the impact of online misogyny and harmful online narratives on both boys and young men and on the safety and wellbeing of girls and young women. Research highlights increasing exposure to misogynistic content online, the role of algorithms in amplifying harmful narratives, and the importance of early intervention approaches that build critical thinking, digital literacy, emotional wellbeing and healthy relationship skills. Evidence also highlights the value of creating spaces where boys and young men can explore identity, belonging, relationships and masculinity, reflect on the influences shaping their views, and develop resilience to harmful online content and messaging In response, the Mayor has launched a programme of activity to challenge harmful online narratives and support boys and young men to develop confidence, resilience and a strong sense of identity. In June 2026, the Mayor warned of the risk of a "lost generation of young men" if the growing influence of harmful online content is left unchecked, announcing a package of interventions to strengthen support for boys and young men at home, in schools and across communities. The Mayor's polling found that only 15% of Londoners believe boys and young men have access to enough positive role models, reinforcing the need for investment in trusted adults, mentoring and positive influences. The VRU is leading the development of this programme of interventions. Through mentoring, workforce development, support for fathers and carers, and preventative work in education settings, the programme aims to strengthen critical thinking and digital literacy, increase access to positive male role models and trusted adults, support boys and young men to explore identity, belonging, relationships and masculinity, and reduce vulnerability to exploitation, violence and harmful online influences. Scope of delivery The programme will be structured into three complementary lots as summarised within this notice. For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-London:-Youth-education-services./KB6CF2B3FF To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/KB6CF2B3FF

Lot Information

Intensive Mentoring for Care Experienced Young People

Delivery Focus The VRU is seeking market insight on the provision of intensive, relationship-based mentoring for boys and young men in care settings. The service is intended to strengthen protective factors through trusted adult relationships and sustained support, helping young people to develop confidence, resilience, identity, relationship skills and their understanding of different models of masculinity. Target Cohort The primary target group is boys and young men who are: * Looked-after children; * Care experienced; * Living in residential care, foster care or semi-independent accommodation; * Affected by violence, exploitation or social exclusion; * Involved with, or at risk of involvement with, youth justice services and/or the probation service. Indicative Service Requirements The VRU is interested in delivery approaches that may include: * Intensive one-to-one mentoring; * Relationship-based support delivered through trusted adult relationships; * Support to explore identity, belonging and self-esteem; * Emotional wellbeing and resilience; * Exploration of relationships, identity and different models of masculinity; * Critical thinking and resilience to harmful online influences; * Aspirations, life skills and preparation for adulthood and future fatherhood; * Light-touch advocacy and support to navigate services and systems; * Effective partnership working with social care, education, health, youth justice service, the probation service and other relevant statutory and multi-agency partners. The service should complement, rather than duplicate statutory provision and maintain continuity of support wherever possible.

Renewal: Optional extension of 24 months in 12 month increments.

Training for Fathers, Male carers and Relevant Male Practitioners

Delivery Focus The VRU is seeking market insight on specialist training and capacity-building support for fathers, male carers, foster carers and residential care staff who play an important role in the lives of boys and young men. The aim is to strengthen the confidence, skills and capability of trusted adults to support boys and young men as they navigate identity, relationships, online influences and key life transitions. Target Cohort The service is expected to engage: * Fathers and father figures; * Male foster and kinship carers; * Residential children's home staff; * Semi-independent accommodation staff; * Other adults with significant caring responsibilities for care-experienced boys and young men. Indicative Service Requirements The VRU is interested in approaches that may include: * Structured learning and development programmes; * Workshops, coaching and peer-learning models; * Resources and practical tools to support ongoing learning; * Support to facilitate conversations about identity, relationships and models of masculinity; * Training on recognising and responding to harmful online influences and manosphere content; * Critical thinking and digital literacy; * Understanding the role of trusted adults and positive male influences; * Embedding learning within everyday care practice and support planning. Providers should demonstrate how learning can lead to sustainable changes in practice and strengthen the support network around boys and young men.

Renewal: Optional extension of 24 months in 12 month increments

Supporting Boys and Young Men in Education Settings

Delivery Focus The VRU is seeking market insight on a preventative programme supporting boys and young men in education settings. The programme is intended to provide opportunities for young people to explore identity, belonging, relationships and different models of masculinity, whilst increasing resilience to harmful online influences and strengthening protective factors within education settings. Target Cohort The primary delivery settings are expected to include: * Pupil Referral Units (PRUs)/Alternative Provision (AP) settings; * Mainstream secondary schools linked to participating PRUs and APs; * Boys and young men experiencing social isolation, educational disengagement, vulnerability to exploitation or exposure to harmful online narratives. Indicative Service Requirements The VRU is interested in delivery models that combine direct work with boys and young men alongside workforce development activity. Potential elements may include: * Group-based interventions for boys and young men; * Workshops exploring identity, belonging and models of masculinity; * Emotional wellbeing and resilience activities; * Relationships education and communication skills; * Critical thinking and digital literacy; * Exploration of online influences, online harms and harmful narratives; * Preventative intervention within feeder mainstream schools; * Workforce development, resources and capacity-building support for school staff. The programme should build on existing safeguarding, RSHE, PSHE and pastoral systems and support schools to develop confidence in facilitating conversations around identity, relationships, masculinity and online influences.

Renewal: Optional extension of 24 months in 12 month increments

Planning Information

Market Engagement Questionnaires The VRU would welcome responses from organisations with experience delivering services relevant to one or more of the proposed lots. Separate questionnaires have been developed to reflect the distinct service requirements: Lot 1 & 2 Questionnaire: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=v2W9H-9d6k6mkqCJwlU0a5KLMW7_GzxMilUVkOsdbmNUOE1HWjlPN1BUNzJTWFRPUk1ENlVOQ1FYNC4u&route=shorturl Lot 3 Questionnaire: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=v2W9H-9d6k6mkqCJwlU0a04MlfJZxftNnfTDlXEan2hUMkE1M1JYUlk5TDY3NTM2R05JVENZS0RMMi4u Deadline for questionnaire responses: 3pm, Thursday 13 August 2026. Questionnaire responses will be used to inform the development of the commissioning approach, including service design, intended outcomes and performance measures, delivery models, workforce requirements, partnership arrangements, and indicative costs and affordability. Responses will be treated as commercially confidential and used solely for market engagement purposes. This is not a call for competition and responses will not be assessed as part of any future procurement process. Supplier Information Sessions (online) The VRU intends to hold separate information sessions, via MS Teams. This approach should make it easier for bidders to attend the lot they are interested in, without needing to sit through a relatively long session covering all lots on Wednesday 19th August 2026: Session 1 (12:30 - 13:30) - Future Fathers Programme (Lots 1 and 2) - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/vru-information-session-boys-young-men-future-fathers-lots-1-and-2-tickets-1996112769026?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true Intensive Mentoring in Care Settings Training for Fathers and Care Providers Session 2 (14:00 – 14:45) - Supporting Boys and Young Men in Education Settings (Lot 3) - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/vru-information-session-boys-young-men-future-fathers-lot-3-tickets-1996100240553?aff=oddtdtcreator PRU/AP Delivery Mainstream School Prevention Activity Staff Capacity Building The sessions will provide an overview of the proposed services, anticipated commissioning approach, indicative timelines and opportunities for organisations to ask questions. Organisations wishing to attend should register using the Eventbrite links above no later than Monday 17th August 2026 by 5pm Indicative Procurement Timeline / Dates (Subject to change) Deadline for market engagement questionnaire, 13 Aug 2026 Market Engagement, Information Session, 19 Aug 2026 Publish ITT, Late Aug / Early Sep Contract commencement, Mid Jan 2027 Market Engagement Disclaimer This notice is issued solely for the purpose of conducting pre-procurement market engagement. It does not constitute a call for competition, invitation to tender, or commitment by MOPAC or the VRU to undertake any procurement exercise. Any future procurement will be subject to separate advertisement and procurement documentation.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d93c
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/090389-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

80310000 - Youth education services

80511000 - Staff training services

80570000 - Personal development training services

85311300 - Welfare services for children and young people

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,822,875 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£1,822,875 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
29 Oct 20264 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
The Mayor's Office for Policing And Crime
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SE1 0LL
Postcode Area
South East London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI44 Lewisham and Southwark
Delivery Location
TLI London
Local Authority
Southwark
Electoral Ward
Borough & Bankside
Westminster Constituency
Bermondsey and Old Southwark

Further Information

Notice Documents

Notice URLs

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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