Period products are not luxury items. They are essentials. But when finances are tight, it can be a struggle for some to find the cash to afford to pay for them.
Period poverty is defined as not being able to access sanitary products, usually due to the cost. People who experience period poverty are unable to purchase the menstrual products they need, and this can have a detrimental impact leading them to feel anxious and more likely to avoid going to school, university or work.
At Teesside University, much is already being done to support period dignity, with free sanitary products on offer for students.
Statistics put out by charity organisations, such as Plan International UK, into period poverty evidence that a potential 2,100 students were likely to fail their first year of university due to lack of attendance caused by period poverty.
The Period Dignity campaign was designed around the University’s values and behaviour framework to:
- empower anyone around the concept of ‘take what you need’ as we understand that everyone’s needs are different
- commit to sustainability by using a 100% organic product and making sure no plastic (or anything harmful to the body) is involved within the campaign
- embrace diversity by using inclusive language and providing products across an array of campus toilets
- reduce anxiety, stress and/or worry when on period and the need to get to toilet facilities so often (for example students reported comfortably lasting a hospital shift; students with endometriosis and heavy flow due to other health conditions commented on being able to stay at university longer without worry as they could apply a new product regularly and with no judgement or cost implications. Staff opened up about having breakdowns in the office over being caught short and embarrassed by the situation)
- support higher participation in sporting and social activities
- improve physical health so students don’t have to choose sanitary products over healthy food choices.
Sanitary products are available across two campuses and in over 20 buildings, and in public toilets in MIMA.
The menstrual cup study
Teesside University has focussed on making period care more sustainable and have successfully delivered two talks with the support of TOTM (a leading company championing period comfort with organic, sustainable products). Attendees were offered a free menstrual cup at the talk.
The School of Health & Life Sciences funded a study within NHS placement degree pathways students who completed a survey about how they felt the cup supported their period care. The purpose of the study was to demonstrate a more sustainable way of supporting period care and to give students who don’t access campus the same period care support as students on campus. The end goal being that the University offers menstrual cups to every student that enrols. This will reduce the need to keep increasing the product provisions within toilets and it will give our students period care for the next ten years. This initiative feeds into the University’s bid to become a net zero university by 2050.
Student & Library Services invested in cups for students as part of finance week, holding a talk with a TOTM representative about the cup the environmental, financial and personal health benefits.
Sheila Peterson from the National Council of Women and ambassador from the charity Days for Girls donated a number of cups. The cups can’t be given out in some areas of the world they support in period care, so they kindly donated them to the University.
Period dignity campaign highlights
Vik Brown, Lifestyle Student Adviser and Period Dignity Campaign lead has successfully and impactfully promoted the campaign across campus and beyond, including:
- winning the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management) award in 2024: and the news item that went out about it after we won: Partnership addresses period poverty.
- a blog for TOTM about the campaign’s journey at the University.
- the Teesside Uni blog promoting the cup study and giveaways across campus.
- a video for the talk delivered for the Healthy Universities Network around the campaign.
- collaboration with MIMA led to a Pop-up art exhibition to promote the campaign through the students’ artistic talents which represented their feelings on periods. Three pieces were commissioned focusing on how our international students feel around periods, coming from countries where they aren’t spoken about or perceived as something shameful.
- presentation to Middlesbrough Council and primary school children for International Women’s Day.
Find out more
Email Vik Brown if you have any queries or comments about period dignity.
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