East Suffolk Council
School support
Creating a campaign
Step 1.
Create a steering group of pupils interested in being involved in a period poverty campaign. Identify the best place for a PP Box inside
your school. We recommend using a select few toilets, as placing items with a teacher or receptionist can still cause embarrassment for girls having to ask for products.
Step 2.
Use the stickers provided in the East Suffolk PP Box, or ask the steering group to design their own logo to place in the areas/toilet cubicles where girls can access the products.
Step 3.
Create a schedule to check and replenish the boxes on a regular basis, run by the steering group of students. You may wish a member of staff to oversee this.
Step 4.
Establish relationships with local charities and organisations that may support the supply of sanitary items going forward. East Suffolk
Council can help provide sanitary items until this has been achieved. The East Suffolk Communities Team will help you establish those
relationships - to contact your local officer, please email our Communities Team.
Following Chancellor Philip Hammond's Spring Statement 2019, free menstrual products will be available in schools. East Suffolk Council
is committed to help bridge the gap until this has been rolled out nationally.
Step 5.
Provide education to all students about period poverty to try and reduce the stigma. Presentation material and handouts are available
on request from our Communities Team.
Top tips
From Felixstowe Academy
Initiate conversations during sex and relationship education.
Launch your campaign to your students via an assembly, presented by students/steering group. Have separate assemblies for boys and girls.
Use toilets that are accessible to all, including gender neutral toilets. Preferably, if you have them, they should be near CCTV. Although most students are keen to look after the project, you undoubtedly will get a few that spoil it.
Ensure the project is as student led as possible as we have found they are more inclined to look after it.
Connect with East Suffolk Council to establish relationships with outside organisations. We have a strong relationship with Basic Life Charity who gave us the products to fill our boxes.
Place a box in your staff toilets! Your staff may need to access the products as well as your students, especially in busy times of the day.