Community Use of Schools – Community Joint Use Agreements

Entering into a Community Joint Use Agreement

Co-located and shared facilities, including community joint use agreement (CJUA) facilities, build a sense of collective purpose between schools and communities. They facilitate diverse and positive learning experiences, increase family involvement in children’s schooling, and improve the attendance and achievement of students. They build a sense of community from a broad range of users and foster improved connectivity with schools.

The following information outlines the required steps for school councils to take to enter into a CJUA.

Parties

The Minister for Education (or delegate), school councils and community partners are parties to a CJUA.

Initial steps

Schools seeking to enter a CJUA must first contact the Victorian School Building Authority by email at vsba.property@education.vic.gov.au or by phone on 1800 896 950. After contacting the VSBA, schools and community partners are encouraged to review the Guide to understanding and developing community joint use agreements (DOCX). This document is an initial reference for schools and community partners to read prior to entering into discussions about a proposed CJUA facility.

Preparing a community joint use proposal

Prior to preparing a CJUA, the school and community partner must complete a Community joint use proposal (DOCX).

A community joint use proposal enables the parties to record all the information required to produce a CJUA. The community joint use proposal supports schools to consider possible issues and long-term costs when constructing a facility through a CJUA. It will balance school and community needs and ensure the facility has long-term viability.

For guidance on completing each section of the proposal refer to the Instructions and explanatory notes for completing a community joint use proposal (DOCX).

For CJUAs that involve competition-grade sporting facilities, also refer to the department's advice on Competition Grade Sporting Facilities.

Preparing and finalising the community joint use agreement

The CJUA contract template (DOCX) must be used for any joint use arrangement between a school council and a community partner regarding the construction and long-term management and use of facilities that are located on school land and can also be adapted for joint use arrangements on land owned or managed by the community partner.

This template is comprised of core clauses and options clauses.

• The core clauses form the standard terms and conditions for all CJUAs and are not negotiable.
• The option clauses allow the parties to select the approach that best suits their specific situation and community under the joint use arrangements and address the operation, maintenance and upkeep of the facility.

All options clauses are contained in the template document. The VSBA will amend the CJUA based on the information provided in the community joint use proposal.

For an explanation of the core and option clauses, helping the parties to understand the content of and reason for the clauses contained in the CJUA template, refer to the Explanatory table of clauses (DOCX).

Construction of new facility or upgrade of existing facility

Once the CJUA is agreed and signed by all parties, then construction of project can proceed to tender.

On completion of the facility (where applicable), the facility can be utilised in accordance of the terms and conditions of the agreement.