Volunteering opportunities for people with learning disabilities

RBKC and WCC currently have contracts that provide access to volunteering opportunities for adults with a learning disability, these are due to expire in March 2027. To ensure that volunteering opportunities continue each borough is looking to procure a single contract which will start on April 2027.

The purpose behind volunteering opportunity services is to provide high quality support for those with a Learning Disability and / or Autism support need that meet eligibility under the Care Act 2014. Support provided by volunteering opportunity services aims to support access to volunteering opportunities, supporting people to build and develop their skills and confidence to secure volunteering placements. The services will develop quality community services through voluntary opportunity in WCC and RBKC. They achieve this by:

Promoting the benefits of volunteering, such as, playing an active part in the community, supporting the need of local communities.

Reduce social isolation via volunteering

Showcase volunteering as a route to personal growth and wellbeing.

Undertaking and arranging voluntary work in education, health, social services and similar charitable activities.

Enhancing the potential of volunteering and work experience, in the voluntary sector as a way of facilitating employment.

The anticipated volume for the service in RBKC is to reach 40 unique residents and in WCC is to reach 45 unique residents. Funding arrangements are to be finalised, but the indicative annual value of the contracts will be around £21,320 for RBKC and £24,000 for WCC.

This Market Engagement Questionnaire is jointly issued on behalf of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) and Westminster City Council (WCC), to obtain market feedback in relation to the future procurement of Learning Disability Volunteering Opportunities Services in the two boroughs.

This Market Engagement Questionnaire is not a call for tenders or a pre-qualification exercise. The purpose of the questionnaire is to gain insight and to gauge the level of interest and capacity of the market with feedback used to inform the procurement strategy and service specification.

The Councils are currently considering re-tendering under an open procedure in late summer 2026 for service commencement in April 2027. The procurement will fall within, and comply, with the Procurement Act 2023, under the Light Touch Regime. It is likely the contract(s) will be for a duration of at least two years with the possibility to extend for a further one year.

This questionnaire https://forms.office.com/e/JvgCRrtiZd will not form part of the formal procurement process. All responses are to be submitted by 23rd June 2026.