HMPPS Small Grants Scheme Rugby Activities for Challenging Behaviour Cohort at HMP Isis
HMP Isis are planning to run rugby training programme for prisoners who demonstrate challenging behaviour which offers a sports leader award alongside mindset workshops to address young prisoners view to violence. Being able to work together with others to achieve a common goal, will help to reduce the risk of harm both in prison and in preparation for release. The programme shall consist of an in-custody programme as well as resettlement support post release. The supplier shall deliver a course to support prisoners with their goal of achieving a sports leaders qualification, learning how to play rugby and developing a positive mindset by delivering in-custody workshops that focus on goal setting, encouragement, inner community, choice theory and the principles of the sport of rugby.
- Opening date: (Midnight)
- Closing date: (Midday)
Contents
Summary
HMPYOI Isis is a training and resettlement prison in South East London. HMPYOI Isis’ population is primarily 18-25 year old men from London and the surrounding counties. As a resettlement prison, there is a significant focus on supporting the young men in HMPYOI Isis into employment on release.
HMP Isis are planning to run rugby training programme for prisoners who demonstrate challenging behaviour which offers a sports leader award alongside mindset workshops to address young prisoners view to violence. Being able to work together with others to achieve a common goal, will help to reduce the risk of harm both in prison and in preparation for release. The programme shall consist of an in-custody programme as well as resettlement support post release.
The supplier shall deliver a course to support prisoners with their goal of achieving a sports leaders qualification, learning how to play rugby and developing a positive mindset by delivering in-custody workshops that focus on goal setting, encouragement, inner community, choice theory and the principles of the sport of rugby. All learners completing the course and workbook will receive personalised, 1-2-1 feedback and a level 1 sports leaders qualification. The anticipated size of the cohort will be up to 20 participants.
Following the course, the supplier shall provide further resettlement support to learners both prior to and post release who have signed up to the rugby activities.
Expected structure of the sought activities:
The supplier shall deliver a course over 8 weeks which includes learning how to play rugby, alongside workshops that help to change prisoners mindset, to reduce their risk of harm both in custody and upon release. They should also be given the opportunity to achieve a sports leaders qualification and be supported upon release.
Requirements for the providers:
The supplier will need to provide their own equipment for the practical rugby sessions. Those delivering the course will need to have at least one of their team members vetted to be able to draw keys so they are able to escort themselves to and from their place of work.
It is preferable that they have experience in working in prisons but not essential.
Anyone who has previous lived experience will not necessarily be excluded from working here but will need to declare this prior to entering the prison.
Promotion and Allocation
The provider, in conjunction with prison staff, shall identify three cohorts of learners to attend a programme consisting of 8 workshops.
The winning provider shall provide promotional information (posters, leaflets etc.) to the prison to enable promotion to eligible learners.
The winning provider shall visit the prison on one occasion before the course start to promote work with the Gym and Activities department to agree Allocations.
Delivery Method
HMP Isis shall provide a room suitable for the workshops to be held in as well as access to the Astroturf pitch for practical elements of the course.
The successful provider will be expected to deliver the content within the following regime hours:
Monday-Thursday AM – 08:15-11:15
Monday-Thursday PM – 13:15-16:15
No regime on Fridays for prisoners.
The provider shall deliver an AM and PM session weekly to one cohort at a time. Staff can use the time between sessions to complete administration work if they wish.
The providers’ staff will be escorted and supervised while in the establishment but dependent on vetting will be able to carry keys themselves.
The successful provider shall comply with the daily searching procedures within the Security policy.
It is prison policy that learning walks are carried out regularly, by a prison representative, to quality assure the provision.
End of Course
Following each course, a written evaluation will be sent to the HoRR along with management information data (attendance, retention, and completion) and a portfolio of progression of learners and assessment of work carried out.
Following the completion of each course a celebration event which consists of playing a rugby match against an external team.
Additional information
The winning provider shall be required to work and engage with all relevant prison partners.
Any staff leave shall be planned for in advance and covered, and a plan will be in place to cover ad hoc staff sickness, to allow for consistent delivery.
All materials, equipment and resources are to be provided by the successful provider, subject to a full itinerary of all materials and equipment being provided to the prison a minimum of one week ahead of the delivery, and to align with the prison’s Local Security Strategy (LSS) and to take account of all prohibited items.
Benefit for the service users:
This course will support prisoners to address their challenging behaviour in custody by learning new skills and achieving a qualification.
They should be able to better control their emotions therefore address their poor behaviour.
This course should assist prisoners in changing their attitudes to offending and therefore assist in reducing their risk of both harm and re-offending.
They should then be supported post release to continue this work.
The grant is the best option at this stage as it allows HMP/YOI Isis to pilot and test the idea of this particular service delivery which will baseline future service delivery.
The expected outcomes:
Participants will become more physically active and thus will increase their overall health,
· Participants will develop new coping mechanisms for life, building mental resilience
· Participants will build and create new connections with the staff/group members/ families/significant others.
· The project will improve the knowledge about what activities, work to support people and to encourage rehabilitation and desistance.
· The project will increase knowledge of and engagement with relevant support agencies within the prison, and community – now and upon release.
· The project will enable the participants to achieve a sports leaders qualification which is recognised in the community.
· Participants will be given the skills in order to be able to better regulate and control their emotions, in particular aggression.
The project will run for approximately for two months between 11th March 2026 to 29th April 2026. The dates for the activities to be delivered will be agreed with the successful candidates at the award stage.
The applications are open till 8 December 2025 12:00pm (midday)
The funding available for this award is £14,000
The total grant amount will be paid in advance, provided that the grant recipient has given sufficient assurance that the grant will be used for the stated purpose.
Eligibility
The award is open to VCSE (Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise organisations)
The voluntary sector organisation(s) or consortium receiving the grant from HMPPS, should be a registered charity or social enterprise.
Any organisation applying for funding must demonstrate that it meets the due diligence criteria before any award is made. The funding will only be given to organisations where their annual turnover is at least twice the amount of the funding that they are seeking.
Grant funding cannot be used to deliver core services which HMPPS should be delivering.
Objectives
· Make a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals seeking positive change.
· To improve people’s experience of prison and probation through the rehabilitation activities.
· To support an individual’s rehabilitation and desistance journey; and
· To improve our knowledge about what activities, work to support people and to encourage rehabilitation and desistance.
Dates
The project will run for approximately for two months between 11th March 2026 to 29th April 2026. The dates for the activities to be delivered will be agreed with the successful candidates at the award stage.
The applications are open till 15 December 2025 12:00pm (midday)
How to apply
In order to submit a compliant application, applicants must complete all questions in the Apply for a Grant application form. Please note and do not exceed the word counts for each answer. Any information that is included once the word count is exceeded will not be evaluated and will not count towards the evaluated score. Responses must not include diagrams, tables, images or similar.
Applicants are permitted to submit clarification questions via email to HMPPSGrants@justice.gov.uk. For transparency, this advert will be updated throughout the competition to include any responses to questions asked by applicants.
Further information from clarification questions:
No further information.
To be eligible for funding under this grant applicants must achieve the minimum threshold score of 3 averaged across all technical questions otherwise they will be removed from the competition process. The scoring criteria is outlined below:
Score Interpretation
5 Exceeds the requirement. Exceptional demonstration shown for the proposal, how the project will be delivered, and extensive past experience detailed.
4 Satisfies the requirements and has minor additional benefits. Above average demonstration across all questions.
3 Satisfies the requirements. Demonstrates understanding and ability to a satisfactory standard.
2 Satisfies most of the requirements with some minor reservations relating to the experience, understanding and/or ability. Whilst mostly the question has been answered in a satisfactory way, one element has been omitted/offers insufficient evidence.
1 Major reservations about the experience, understanding or ability demonstrated, with little to no evidence to support the questions. More than one element has been omitted.
0 Does not meet the requirement. Does not comply or offer sufficient information to demonstrated experience, ability of understanding. Significant elements of the question has been omitted or not addressed to a satisfactory standard.
The Authority reserves the right to ask clarification questions about any elements of an application. These questions will not give applicants the opportunity to expand on the response and may only be used where applications contain minor errors or to clarify where the information presented is unclear.
The grant, if awarded, shall be awarded to the Applicant(s) who:
· has submitted an application in compliance with these instructions
· meets the eligibility criteria
· meets the minimum quality threshold of 3 questions
· achieves the highest technical score
Due diligence checks will be carried out before the award can be made. These checks may include, but are not exclusive to, financial, brand, assurance, and charitable status.
Supporting information
Conflicts of Interest
The Authority is required to prevent conflicts of interest occurring in this competition and may disqualify applicants if an actual or potential conflict of interest occurs in connection with the competition which cannot be satisfactorily avoided or mitigated. The Authority may disqualify any applicant which attempts (or whose advisers attempt) to influence the competition in any way.
MoJ Disclaimer
The Authority shall not be committed to any course of action as a result of:
• issuing the competition documents
• communicating with an applicant or an applicant’s representatives or agents in respect of this competition exercise; or
• any other communication between the Authority (whether directly or by its agents or representatives) and any other party.
All applicants accept and acknowledge that by issuing the competition documents the Authority is not bound to accept any bid and reserves the right not to award or conclude a grant for all or any of the costs for which bids are invited.
The Authority reserves the right to apply its discretion on the amount of funding that is to be awarded to the successful applicant(s). If only part of the application is acceptable, in terms of the stated deliverables, then the Authority may only award funding on that basis.
The Authority reserves the right to amend, suspend or terminate all or any part of the competition or its documentation at any time during the ITT.
The instructions in this advert, together with any other tender documentation are designed to ensure that all applicants are given equal and fair consideration. Applicants should read the instructions carefully to ensure they understand them and the conditions of participation before submitting their applications.
Failure to comply with these instructions regarding submission of the application response may result in its rejection. The Authority may reject Tenders which are substantially and materially incomplete, non-compliant, inconsistent, or vague.
Applicants should answer all questions as accurately and concisely as possible. Applicants are solely responsible for ensuring that their applications are free from error and accept that these cannot be modified after the submission deadline.
Costs incurred in submitting applications will be borne by applicants and will be defined as ineligible expenditure under the terms of the grant.
All information supplied by the Authority to applicants must be treated in confidence (unless already in the public domain) and must not be disclosed to third parties other than as is necessary for the purposes of preparing a Tender.