Request for Tender for Research Project:

Sport Participation as an Addiction Prevention Measure.

Determining the Utility of Sports in Preventing Youth engaging in Drug or Alcohol Use in the North Inner City.

Background information and invitation to tender 

NIC Dublin Drug and Alcohol Task Force.

NIC Dublin Local Drug and Alcohol Task Force has been recently reconfigured in 2024 and is a multi- stakeholder collaborative organisation made up of members from Statutory, Voluntary and community representatives. NIC Dublin Task Force Core remit is to develop strategies and initiatives to support the community of the North Inner City respond to substance mis-use in their community. Problematic Substance mis-use is a growing public health issue in Ireland and is associated with multiple complex and chronic health conditions, decreased life expectancy and detrimental social aspects on the community.

Background to the tender

Engagement in sport by youth has been found to result in an improved self-concept and sense of personal control or mastery.i It has been proposed that sport could reduce the risk of young people becoming engaged in substance misuse. Engagement in sports has been found to reduce the physical and mental health issues that are often precursors to developing substance misuse issues in young people. ii iii It has also being found that engagement in sport can be part of an effective therapeutic treatment for substance misuse.iv One study of 11,957 American young people between 12 and 17 years of age found that participation in sport was associated with less illegal drug use, higher self-esteem and better school gradesv, both of which are factors associated with lower illicit drug use.vi A second study of 10,992 young people found that youth engaged in sport were less likely to be exposed to parental alcohol misuse which was viewed as a positive outcome for a group at higher risk of future alcohol misuse.

Please see full Tender Document attached below.

Instructions to Tenderers

Format of tenders

Tenderers should complete and submit the application form. Tenders submitted in formats other than the application form will not be considered. Application form can be found at the end of the tender document: Appendix 1, page 5.

Submission of tenders and closing date for application Completed application forms must be sent by email to briang.oreilly@hse.ie with subject line 'Youth Sports Engagement Project'. Completed application forms must be received no later than Monday 24th February 2025. Application forms received after the tender deadline will NOT be considered.

Queries and clarifications

All queries related to any aspect of this request for tender can be directed to briang.oreilly@hse.ie.