How to Get Period Products in Your School

Written by: Aislinn Brennan  

In 2024, 19% of students struggling financially reported missing school because of a lack of access to period products*. For teenagers and younger people with periods, asking for products from the school can be uncomfortable. Many young people can feel extreme embarrassment and shame surrounding their period. Not to mention, getting your period unexpectedly at school can be stressful and distracting.

Access to period products in schools is essential for ensuring students can focus on their education without the added stress of managing menstruation without the proper resources. We’re not expected to bring our own toilet paper to work, so why our own period products?  

So, whether you are a student, parent or a teacher and you want to learn how to get period products in your school, here’s a practical guide to help bring these vital products into schools. 

Why providing period products to students matters

Firstly, it’s important to understand why providing access to period products to students is vital. Ultimately it helps normalise menstruation. The accessibility barriers surrounding menstruation today exist because of the stigma surrounding periods in society. By having free and accessible period care for students, it helps reduce this shame and stigma. It fosters an environment where young people can learn about menstrual health openly and confidently. 

Secondly, by offering free products in schools, students no longer have to rely on their families’ financial means, ensuring that no one is left behind because of their socioeconomic status. If you and your pals know that you are all able to take products as you need them, you will never have to waste time worrying about if you have them in your school bag or not!

Students: How To Take Action!

We know that asking for change can be hard – but it is possible! It is always good to remember that there are people in your school that have authority and are employed to help and listen to you and your concerns. 

The first step you can take is form a group to raise awareness about the need for period products in your school. By organising a group of people who feel the same about the issue, you can band together to advocate for free period products in your school. The next thing you can do is research. A good, clear and concise argument that you propose to your class reps, teachers or principals is the best way to get attention to the issue and the dialogue to begin. When researching, you should look at budget friendly options and you should seek to answer some concerns of your faculty. These concerns can be budget related but also sustainability related – so think of volume and waste! You could make a tally of how many people have periods in your school and estimate how many products you would need per month. It doesn’t have to be perfect, getting an estimate still shows your teachers you are serious about this cause and have considered the concerns of the school administrators and not just the students. Lastly, provide options or examples – this way, you are providing the leadership with concrete examples of how this could apply to your school. 

Teachers & Parents: How to take action! 

Schools are not just for children; they are also places of work. Therefore, providing free period products is not just in the interest of students but also the staff. As a person with a leadership role in a school, you can use your power to help students achieve their goal. 

Firstly, you can help the students develop a proposal to be presented to the school staff. You can help them emphasise the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the school, and how providing period products can help achieve these goals. By involving the students, the power of teamwork can inspire actual change.  All adults know that funding is usually the key issue when it comes to change and development within any organisation. Therefore, helping the students with the research of budget friendly solutions can really halve the workload of convincing school administrators that it is possible to provide free products, without breaking the bank. And finally, you as an adult know all too well that it takes time to shift perspective. By explaining the long-term benefits of free period products in schools to school leadership, you can really make a difference and help support the students in their goals for change.

Choosing Yoni as a Period Product Supplier

Choosing Yoni as a supplier of period products for your school is a great option for 3 reasons:

1. Yoni’s period products are breathable and sustainable. They are made from biodegradable materials and 100% organic cotton. So, they are good for your body, vagina and the planet. 

• We provide a solution for storing and dispensing the period products. Yoni offers a range of options depending on the needs of the students and staff. You can reach out to our sales representatives who will be more than happy to provide options tailored to your school’s needs. 

Most importantly, we offer discounted rates on our products for schools. At Yoni, our core mission is to provide solutions to period care problems. Whether that be period poverty or climate change, we want to help with the big and smaller issues. By providing our products in schools, we can tackle period inequity one pad at a time. 

This blog was created as a guide to help students, parents or teachers to feel more confident when asking to provide free period products for If you would like to learn more about our solution offers for schools, get in touch by emailing workwith@yoni.care.

*CODE RED, Neighbourhood Feminists, 2024.