Shared use

Public schools are central to NSW communities. The facilities we deliver support our students, parents and staff, and play an important role in shaping an area’s culture, environment and local economy.

Shared use arrangements are established with government agencies, local councils, sporting organisations and not-for-profits to enable facilities such as halls, libraries and sporting fields to be shared with the wider community outside of school hours.

School Infrastructure NSW (SINSW) collaboration opportunities available include:

Joint Use Arrangements, which are entered into between the Department and another party to share the costs of building and maintaining a new school asset such as a sporting facility that can be shared by both the relevant school and the community outside of hours.
Community Use Arrangements, which are entered into between the Department and another organisation for access to school facilities outside of hours (typically 6-9pm weekdays and 8am-5pm on weekends). Please note that SINSW is only responsible for managing community use arrangements that are 12-months or longer in duration. Please also note that schools have the flexibility to decline a request to use their facilities based on the operational needs of the school and based on existing community use agreements
Share Our Space (SOS) School Holiday Activities, which are run during the school holiday SOS program in outdoor school areas and involve the Department entering into an agreement with organisations to hold free activities.

This shared approach to school and community infrastructure helps us deliver modern, purpose-built facilities and ensures schools are at the centre of communities.

Take a look at our joint use projects:

Image:
International standard, full-sized indoor sports court.

Community indoor sports centre with Ballina Shire Council

In 2017, SINSW developed a joint use agreement with Ballina Shire Council to provide a new indoor sports centre and car park for the school and local community.
To maximise the use of valuable sports facilities by both students and local community members, the facility offers four international standard courts with lines for netball, basketball and futsal. The courts are used by students during school hours and by the wider community outside of school hours and on weekends.
There is also a spectator area, operations room, storage rooms, administration office, meeting space, kitchen space as well as change rooms and amenities.
View the completed Ballina Coast High School project.

Aerial view of FIFA compliant synthetic football field — Image:
Aerial view of the FIFA compliant synthetic football field.

Hall with two sports courts. — Image:
Two court sports hall.

Shared sporting facilities in partnership with Hills Shire Council

We partnered with the Hills Shire Council on a joint use project to provide a new sporting facility for Bella Vista students and community.
The facility includes a single FIFA compliant synthetic football field and a two-court sports hall.
Through the partnership, the school and community enjoy sporting facilities that meet demand and encourage participation in sport and active recreation.
The shared sporting facilities received a Premier’s Award in 2019 under the category Creating Well Connected Communities.
View the completed Bella Vista Public School project.

Artist impression of the joint-use library and community facility. — Image:
Artist impression of the joint use library and community facility.

A library and community facility in partnership with Hilltops Council

Together with Hilltops Council, we are delivering a new library and community facility for use by school students and local community members.
The shared library will include contemporary new learning spaces, Wiradjuri learning and cultural centre, multimedia facilities and a youth wellbeing hub.
The proposed two-and-a-half storey building will offer 1,000 square metres of dedicated community space and 300 square metres of shared space between the community and school.
View progress on Young High School upgrade and new joint-use library and community facility

Councils and community organisations seeking to build a school facility for joint use, please contact sinsw.partnerships@det.nsw.edu.au

Get in contact

For government agencies, local councils, sporting organisations, not-for-profits and other organisations interested in collaborating with SINSW, please fill in the Expression of Interest form.

Please contact Asset.Activations@det.nsw.edu.au if you require any further information.

We recognise the Ongoing Custodians of the lands and waterways where we work and live. We pay respect to Elders past and present as ongoing teachers of knowledge, songlines and stories. We strive to ensure every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learner in NSW achieves their potential through education.

Shared use

Take a look at our joint use projects:

Get in contact

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