'Bootcamps and body conditioning' in Portlaoise for prison officers

Prison Officers and are to be provided with fitness training through new Exercise and Health Fitness courses costing around €300,000 to be run from Portlaoise.

The Irish Prison Service (IPS) has published a contract tender in which it says it wishes to provide an Exercise & Health Fitness course for prison staff by utilising the services of an external training provider.

It says tenders are requested, from educational institutions, for the design, delivery and assessment of modules leading to the award of a qualification, at NFQ Level 6, in Exercise & Health fitness to Prison Officers.

It says program participation and successful completion is mandatory is mandatory for all gym officers who do not already hold this qualification.

The IPS says the Exercise & Health Fitness course will be delivered part-time over two semesters. The modules identified as part of the training course will include the following:

• Human movement studies
• Lifestyle, fitness, wellness & nutrition
• Fitness assessment & program design
• Facility management
• First aid responder
• Studio exercise to music & free movement
• Strength training
• Circuits, HIIT, bootcamp & body conditioning
• Step training & flexibility training

It is also expected that there will be a final written and practical assessment at to complete the course.

The IPS expects the successful tenderer to use an "innovative blended learning strategy", which caters for all types of
learners and which reduces the number of hours of class/workshop attendance time.

The IPS says the complete programme must be ready for delivery in September 2023. The estimated total value of the contract on offer excluding VAT is €300,000.

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This course will be primarily delivered at the Irish Prison Service Training College, Brian Stack House in Portlaoise.