Unlocking Potential: Education Facilities Beyond Work Hours

Educational facilities bustle with activity during the day. Yet, they fall silent when the final bell rings and the last student leaves. Imagine the potential if these well-equipped facilities could serve a dual purpose, benefiting not just students but the entire community beyond school hours.

Often representing a significant investment in a community's infrastructure, these facilities remain largely untapped. Almost 30% of a school building's available daylight hours are unused. By opening their doors after hours, educational institutions can unlock many benefits.

This is common in England, where 62% of schools share their sports facilities. Other countries, like the United States, share the facilities through leases and partnerships. In Australia, there are leasing guidelines from the New South Wales Department of Education. Additionally, in the UK, the ‘Community Use of Schools’ initiative allows public booking of facilities like sports halls, swimming pools, and theatres.

As educational institutions like schools open their doors to the community, both schools and surrounding neighborhoods can reap many benefits. This two-way partnership fosters financial advantages, strengthens community bonds, and creates a more vibrant and enriching environment. Let's explore the specific advantages of schools opening their facilities to the community:

• Revenue generation: Educational institutions can generate much-needed revenue by leasing their facilities, from well-equipped gyms and auditoriums to expansive sports fields and even underutilized classrooms. This additional income stream can be reinvested in supporting educational resources, enhancing infrastructure, or enriching extracurricular programs, ultimately leading to a more well-rounded learning experience for students. Moreover, community organizations have an advantage in cost-effective access to high-quality spaces. Local sports clubs, cultural organizations, or even small businesses can utilize these facilities for events, meetings, or classes, eliminating the burden of constructing or maintaining their own dedicated spaces.

• Community well-being: Opening educational facilities after hours fosters inclusivity and strengthens community ties. By sharing resources like gyms, fields, and pools, schools can become hubs for recreation and sports programs, promoting a healthy lifestyle for the community and creating a collaborative spirit between the school and its surrounding neighborhood.

While the potential is undeniable, navigating this path can be challenging. Institutions may lack the internal resources required to manage the logistics of opening facilities to the public. Concerns regarding access control, safety protocols and potential liability demand careful consideration. Additionally, zoning regulations and licensing requirements specific to each region need to be thoroughly reviewed.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to managing these facilities. As sharing facilities with the community is not an educational institution’s core purpose, they often need help in understanding and navigating the different management, operating and staffing models available. Some institutions may opt for partnerships with third-party companies specializing in facility management. Others may develop in-house rental systems with clear policies and pricing structures. The arrangement between the institution and the third-party facilities management company can vary from a fixed rental model to a revenue share model. Whereas facilities rental by educational institutions is often managed by the institution’s in-house team and staff. These institutions have defined policies and pricing to make spaces available to individuals, groups, or businesses. Facilities are available to host various events, including but not limited to indoor sports tournaments, guest speakers, small conferences, team-building exercises, and other large-scale events.

Learning from successful models implemented by similar institutions can be a valuable resource in navigating this process.

Today’s educational institutions face many challenges, such as limited funding, technological advancements, fierce competition, and the need to attract top talent. Smart real estate management strategies can offer a competitive advantage. By embracing innovative concepts like co-working spaces, business incubators, or community centers, institutions can diversify revenue streams and establish themselves as vital community partners. This proactive approach creates a thriving environment that benefits the institution. In today’s evolving landscape, exploring alternative uses of educational facilities isn’t just a practical choice; it’s a strategic investment in a brighter future for all stakeholders – institutions, students, educators, and the entire community.

Whatever the size, type or scope of your needs, we recognize that your mission is education. Ours is to help you realize your mission through your facilities. We recognize that each school, college, or university is a community of stakeholders. We can help you navigate the process and unlock the full potential of your educational space.