Caerphilly Youth Centre held its first Period Product Give Away Day this week at Blackwood Basement.
Caerphilly was the first authority in Wales to have 100 per cent sustainable products and Tara Lane from Caerphilly Youth Centre lead the period poverty Blackwood Basement scheme.
In this initiative the youth service is working in partnership with schools and communities, funded by the Welsh Government.
Nikki Taylor, Community Youth Service manager said: “We changed the name from period poverty to period dignity enabling us to give products away in a dignified manner.
“The whole ethos around period poverty makes people sound poor which is not how we want people to feel.
“It’s not a taboo subject we like to educate the boys along with the girls to speak more freely about periods.
“The conversations on periods need to be more open to enable people to identify problems in a respectable manner and education on it needs to increase.”
The youth service had a range of products available from reusable pants which were available in sizes 4-22, menstrual cups and a range of plastic-free sanitary pads and tampons.
The products were available to anyone aged between 11-25 but the youth service expressed that they would not turn anyone away no matter their age.
With the rise of cost of living many young people are missing time off school because they cannot afford to buy sanitary products.
Gemma Mark from Caerphilly Youth Centre said: “In this current climate it is so important that people have access to these products because you have to prioritise your money and what you buy.
“By us providing these products it eases the stress for people who can’t afford them because period products are essentials.
“Unfortunately, some people do not have money left over to buy necessities such as sanitary items.”
In the first three months of 2022 there was a 78 per cent increase in the need for free period products according to charity Bloody Good Period.
Free sanitary products are also available for all throughout Caerphilly County Borough which can be accessed in schools, leisure centres and communities.
The youth centre has also set up red boxes in schools that are full of sanitary items which are easily accessible to young people.
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