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Not a Choice Campaign – Educational Resources

What is hygiene poverty? 

Hygiene poverty is not being able to afford everyday personal hygiene products many of us take for granted. Many people experiencing hygiene poverty face the impossible choice to heat, eat or keep clean.  

Why does hygiene poverty matter?  

Hygiene poverty is often a precursor to other forms of poverty, with people going without things like shower gel, shampoo and period products long before accessing support, e.g. visiting a food bank. It can lead to feelings of shame, affecting people’s self-esteem and participation in society, which is why hygiene poverty is often not talked about. We see it as a ‘hidden crisis’.  

Knowing how to start conversations and create safe spaces free from stigma is vital, as we start to raise awareness of hygiene poverty in the UK. 

We've detailed some key resources for talking about hygiene poverty:

Always Parent’s Corner

A space for trusted adults to access tips, advice, tools, and guidance to support children navigating the complex world of periods and puberty.  Access the Always space here

Hey Girls - Period resources for youth groups

The Hey Girls Youth Group Pack includes activities on periods and period products as well as guidance for planning a period poverty campaign in your own community! Read the pack here

Girlguiding and WaterAid period poverty and stigma activity pack

WaterAid and Girlguiding have developed activity packs to get people talking openly about periods; the stigma connected to them and period poverty.  Read the activity pack here

How to talk to kids about hard things

If you need advice on how to approach a difficult conversation with a child, read Save The Children’s guide for parents and guardians here.

Turning the page on poverty - A practical guide for education staff

Check out the ‘How to talk about poverty’ section for tips all adults can use when talking to children, colleagues, friends and family.  Read here

Poverty proofing PE kits

A quick best practice guide for schools and organisations with uniforms, on how to approach kit in a way that is inclusive for children from families on low income. If you’re a parent or carer – how does your school’s PE kit approach compare?  Read the guide here

Tackling period poverty in schools

Some quick tips for schools and other organisations on how to provide period products in a way that is inclusive and free from shame or embarrassment. If you’re a parent or carer, how does your school’s approach to providing period products compare? Read the tips here

How schools and other organisations can work with young people to combat hygiene poverty.

In a new guest blog, Chloe Maclellan, Poverty Proofing Coordinator at Children North East shares what students in Poverty Proofing© audits have said about hygiene poverty and gives suggestions for how schools and other organisations working with young people can combat hygiene poverty.  Read the blog here.

Hygiene Product giving - Top tips from In Kind Direct's charitable network

A summary of the many ways charitable organisations in the In Kind Direct network use and distribute products to help people feel safe and supported. The right approach will look different for every organisation, but we think these are some great examples of product giving best practice!  Read the tips here.

Summer of Play 2023: Campaign Impact

Read our report from our Summer of Play campaign with Save the Children, for research on why this campaign is needed.  Read here.

Child brushing their teeth in the mirror.

“When you have to choose between buying toothpaste and toothbrushes for the same price as a meal, we have no choice but to choose the meal. We can’t afford to pay for the dentist so it’s a worry about the kids getting bad teeth.”

Charity service user

Women in pink jumper and fluffy coat.

“My mum doesn’t always have enough money to buy period products. There are three of us in the house and we all need period products. The cheaper ones leak and then we have to do more laundry. Then having to dry the clothes inside in winter adds further costs for heating. We don’t know what to do.”

Charity service user

Man in green t-shirt with hi-vis on

‘’We can’t eat toiletries so they are bottom of our shopping list’’

Charity service user

‘’People are using cheap fairy liquid to wash everything, including themselves’’.

Hygiene Bank, Edinburgh

Do you have other examples of resources that could help spark conversations about hygiene poverty?

We’d love to hear from you!

Email us

Hygiene Poverty Briefing – Spring 2023

Using national polling data from our Not a Choice campaign, and insights from our charitable network, our spring briefing provides an overview on hygiene poverty in the UK in early 2023.

Read the report here
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