We are looking for local community champions!

Sydney Olympic Park is a great place to live, work and play, but we'd like to make it even better!

The Sydney Olympic Park 'Town Team' is a positive and proactive group of local people who meet regularly to connect and drive actions to make Sydney Olympic Park even better! It was formed in 2019, was restricted in activity due to COVID-19 and is now coming back to life.

We’re excited to be relaunching again and are looking for local people who would like to:

  • Meet new people and learn new skills
  • Get involved in creating a better community
  • Join the Sydney Olympic Park Town Team community group

To find out more about he Sydney Olympic Park Town Team background click here.


What is happening?

The Sydney Olympic Park Town Team is looking for a mix of local residents to represent each of the residential buildings in the Park, plus local businesses, to help create a sense of community at Sydney Olympic Park.

At the moment we are creating an event for local resisdents to meet and form a new and refreshed Town Team.

Watch this space for further updates!


What to do in the meantime?

1. Join the Sydney Olympic Park Town Team Facebook page to keep up to date with the community. Please note that clicking on this link will redirect you to an external Facebook page not managed by Sydney Olympic Park Authority.

2. If you don’t have Facebook, keep an eye out for posters around the Park and updates on #mySOP Engage.

3. Register on #mySOP Engage - the community engagement platform for Sydney Olympic Park and provide your ideas on various projects and help shape Sydney Olympic Park.

4. Visit the community information page and learn more about how to connect, participate and explore at Sydney Olympic Park.

Why get involved in your community?

  • Meet local people

    Meet other positive and friendly people in your community. They might be living near you and you don't even know.

  • Learn new skills

    Getting involved in your community and volunteering are excellent ways to learn new personal and professional skills.

  • Lead an action or help out + have fun

    Getting involved in the community is not all hard work. There should be plenty of fun as well.

What is a Town Team?

It is a growing movement of action, led by local people, just like you! Town Teams are positive and proactive community groups that might include residents, businesses, landowners all working collaboratively to improve an area. There are now 82 Town Teams registered around Australia. Sydney Olympic Park founded the first Town Team in New South Wales in 2019. You can find out more about Town Teams at www.townteammovement.com.
Town Team charter diagram showing 4 areas of interest, businesses, governments, residents and a 4th split into context, places, identity & cultures. There is a 2nd diagram on the right explaining that town teams include businesses, landowners and residents; the work positively with government agencies in an effort to improve their place.
Excerpt from Town Team Charter PDF which can be found on the Town Team Charter tab below outlining what the team town charter is and its vision.
Excerpt from Town Team Charter PDF which can be found on the Town Team Charter tab below outlining the first 3 guiding principles which is to be positive, proactive and apolitical & independent.
The continuation of the Town Team Charter guiding principles which is to be inclusive, resilient & sustainable, and have integrity, honesty & respect.

How could you contribute to a Town Team?

Diagram showing how different types of people can contribute to a team including knowledge holders, dreamers, drivers, connectors, communicators, doers, fundraisers and listeners, who all help the person or people known as the glue that the group forms around. Below are two notes, one questioning which role energises you? And another stating that each role is important.

Project examples

Examples of community projects by town team community groups

Here are some examples of what local people have done in their community and why they get involved. Get creative though! There are so many ways to help make Sydney Olympic Park event better!
The Uniting Minto Town TeamMunir from Uniting Minto shares the Light up the Lane event, and the motivation behind reclaiming Erica Lane in Minto.
Interview with Munir discussing the town teams intentions and how they will improve Erica Lane. In the background there is a night time community event happening with a crowd of people attending.
Nikki Mauri shares her experience creating Driveway Dinners during COVID-19 in her suburb of Bayswater, Western Australia.
Nikki discussing her initiative, Driveway Dinners, which she established during COVID to engage the community and has brought everyone together.
The Silent DISGlow event in Moonah, Tasmania, transformed a car park into a dance and cultural performance space for a night.
A visual montage of the Silent DISGlow event in Moonah, which shows people dancing around at night in silence and listening to music on headphones, in addition to cultural performances taking place.
Fiorda Kule from The Morley Momentum explains why she got involved in her community in this video.
Fiorda explaining how she joined up with the Morley Momentum due to her desire to create an inclusive community similar to where she grew up in Italy, and the impact it has had on the community.

Town Teams resources

Learn more

  • Learn about Placemaking in just 12 minutes

    Placemaking is like turning a house into a home, says David Engwicht. Everyone can be a placemaker!

    Find out more 

  • Learn more about the Town Team approach

    Town Team Movement helps positive ‘doers’ to improve their community, based on the fun and inclusive Town Team approach.

    Find out more 

  • Free access to 70+ How To Guides and resources

    The Town Team Hub has advice, tips and templates to help you to get stuff done in your community.

    Find out more 

Town Team Charter

FAQs

Frequently asked questions


What is a Town Team?

Town Teams are positive and proactive community groups that might include residents, businesses, landowners working collaboratively to improve an area.

They have a go and try new things - from social activities, to environmental initiatives, to events and creative projects. There are 82 Town Teams registered so far. You can find out more at www.townteammovement.com.


Why would I want to get involved in the community?

Would you like to feel more connected, to feel a sense of belonging? Many people do. The best way to achieve this is to meet neighbours, local businesses and like-minded people, share and try new things. You might be surprised how rewarding it can be. Give it a go. There is nothing to lose!


What could I do?

Let's discuss it. There are many ways to get involved and contribute - from attending meetings, leading a project or activity and organising an event. There's social media and communications, fundraising and many other things to try.


What structure is required for the Town Team?

Town Teams take many forms from very informal groups through to formal incorporated organisations. It will evolve over time and is something that is collectively decided by the community members who are part of the town team.


Who manages the Sydney Olympic Park Town Team?

Community members who are part of the Town Team will collectively decide how it will be managed. Town Teams are run for the community, by the community.


Who can be part of the Sydney Olympic Park Town Team?

The Sydney Olympic Park Town Team is aimed at improving the sense of community in Sydney Olympic Park. It's open to everyone who has a shared interest in that aim. This can be residents, local business owners, landowners, workers, students.


When did the Sydney Olympic Park Town Team start?

The Sydney Olympic Park Town Team started in June 2019 as an initiative led by local residents in Sydney Olympic Park. For more information on the background of the Sydney Olympic Park Town Team click this link.


What time commitment is needed for being part of the Town Team?

The Town Team is a volunteer group. The important thing is to volunteer only the amount of time that feels comfortable to you and at the same time allows you to contribute in a meaningful way. This will evolve over time. The best way is to get involved, find other like minded people and see what works best for you and the Town Team.


Does is it have to be called the Sydney Olympic Park Town Team?

No. It can be anything that the members of the Sydney Olympic Park Town Team decide. Some examples of the names of other Town Teams in Australia are Leederville Connect, Ignite Wicky, Vic Park Collective.


Why do you need my personal details in the registration section?

So we can let you know what is happening and how you might get involved.


Why are the discussions taking place in February 2022 and not earlier?

We want to provide sufficient time for the Sydney Olympic Park community learn about the Town Team group. Also many people may not be available during the December and January holiday period.


I understand that the Town Team discussions will take place in February 2022. What do I do in the meantime?

1. Join the Sydney Olympic Park Town Team Facebook page to keep up to date with the community. Please note that clicking on this link will redirect you to an external Facebook page not managed by Sydney Olympic Park Authority.

2. If you don’t have Facebook, keep an eye out for posters around the Park and updates on #mySOP Engage.

3. Register on #mySOP Engage - the community engagement platform for Sydney Olympic Park and provide your ideas on various projects and help shape Sydney Olympic Park.

4. Visit the community information page and learn more about how to connect, participate and explore.


I have an idea or would like some more information. Who can I talk to?

Please email the project contact via enagage@sopa.nsw.gov.au. They'd love to hear about it!