{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"","standfirst":"Mark Arnold, Section Leader of Broadstone Scout Troop, talked to Scouts about all things pads, periods, and poverty. Here\u2019s how he did it.","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003EIntroduce the topic\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHold up a pad, tampon, and cup, one at a time, and ask if anyone knows what they are. Expect some embarrassment and maybe even some disgust, but hopefully some right answers too. Keep an eye out for everyone\u2019s reactions, and ask them why they reacted as they did.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOnce everyone knows what the products are, what they\u2019re for, and how people use them, introduce the topic of periods and menstruation. Now\u2019s a great time to remind everyone that some of their reactions are one of the reasons you\u2019ll be covering the topic. Reassure everyone that you\u2019re not about to repeat a school lesson, but ask if anyone\u2019s had a lesson at school that talks about periods.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAsk if anyone knows what a period is. It\u2019s just blood and uterus lining and the average period is somewhere around three or four tablespoons of blood. A period is no more disgusting than a cut knee.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere are around seven and a half billion people on our planet, and something like half of them will menstruate at some point. Periods are a normal thing that a lot of people deal with every month. They\u2019re part of the system of making new humans \u2013 without that process, people wouldn\u2019t exist.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe should all be able to talk about periods with friends, family members, teachers, Scout volunteers, and doctors, whatever their gender. We talk about plenty of other stuff that goes on in our lives, and periods aren\u2019t any different.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPeriods affect everyone. Even if you\u2019ll never menstruate, knowing about periods will help you understand and support the people you care about, such as family members and friends.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/20012/two-girls-wearing-harnesses-and-crate-building-theyre-holding-onto-each-other-and-wearing-helmets.jpg","width":6000,"height":4000,"altText":"Two Scouts in orange helmets and harnesses hold on to each other while crate stacking.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003ETime for a quiz\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMark ran the quiz as a relay race with questions and multiple choice answers spread across the room, because he knew Scouts like a chance to burn off some energy. You can do it however works for you.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://prod-cms.scouts.org.uk//media/5824/periods-quiz-and-answers.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Periods Quiz And Answers\u0022\u003ECheck out Mark\u2019s questions (and the all-important answers!) here\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003EAsk the expert\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMark invited a local Red Box Project representative to explain what they do and how Scouts can get involved. The representative explained the causes and impacts of period poverty, and brought along a box of products. The Scouts had the chance to get hands on, explore what was in the box, get used to the items, and ask any questions.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhy not contact a charity like the Red Box Project, find out what they\u2019re doing near you, and see if they\u2019d like to visit?\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you can\u2019t find anyone to come along, you could explain about period poverty (there\u2019s loads of information in the autumn term 2019 Scouting Magazine, where we spoke to Gabby Edlin, founder of Bloody Good Period). Don\u2019t forget to give everyone the chance to look and feel a range of products including pads, tampons, and cups, too.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003EWhat can we do?\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EScouts talked to the Red Box Project representative, each other, and Mark, to figure out what they could do. They decided to host their own box (that the volunteers would keep topped up using section funds) to make sure everyone visiting their meeting place could access products, and to become a drop-off point for donations to the Red Box Project. They also decided to find out what was happening in their schools.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/17309/db-20210611-15096-8516min.jpg","width":5000,"height":3333,"altText":"A Cub group is playing a running game outside their meeting place on a playground. There are two girl Cubs playing the game. The girl in the foreground is wearing an orange t-shirt and is looking over her shoulder as she runs. The girl in the background is wearing her green Cub top and looks ready to start running.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003ESuperstitions\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELots of superstitions exist around the world \u2013 including in the UK. They\u2019re not true, but they often restrict the behaviour of people who menstruate and contribute to taboos and discrimination. They also make it harder for people to talk about their periods, which leads to even more misunderstanding!\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://prod-cms.scouts.org.uk//media/5823/periods-superstitions.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Periods Superstitions\u0022\u003ECheck out Mark\u2019s list of superstitions from around the world here\u003C/a\u003E. Have the young people heard any of them before?\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003EFinishing the session\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ENow\u2019s a great time for everyone to reflect on what they\u2019ve learned, and ask any questions they may still have.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EScouts is the age when most people will first come across periods outside their family. It\u2019s important that everyone is aware of periods \u2013 now we know the facts, and we know that there\u2019s nothing to be scared or grossed out about.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ENot everyone menstruates, but menstruation does affect anyone. Ask if anyone can think of any other issues that affect a lot of people. What about issues that mainly affect boys, or other societal taboos? If people are interested, you could run sessions to find out more about some of these.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ERemind everyone that as Scout volunteers, you\u2019re here to help. Tell people that if they have any questions or problems and want to let you know, you won\u2019t judge them, and you\u2019ll do everything you can to help.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThank you to Mark Arnold, whose resources we adapted to create this post.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://members.scouts.org.uk/supportresources/3099/young-people-first-code-of-practice-yellow-card?cat=299,304\u0026amp;moduleID=10\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 data-anchor=\u0022?cat=299,304\u0026amp;moduleID=10\u0022\u003EAnd remember, all volunteers must follow our yellow card \u2018Young People First\u2019 code of practice\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/20765/two-women-and-a-male-volunteer-chatting-one-of-the-women-is-making-a-heart-shape-with-her-hands.jpg","width":5000,"height":3333,"altText":"Three volunteers are chatting, one of them is making a heart shape with their hands.","caption":"","link":null}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"12 March 2020","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[],"relatedLinks":[],"id":40251,"nodeName":"How to break the stigma around periods","title":"How to break the stigma around periods ","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/3775/3.jpg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1d9becd30f86aa0","caption":"Period resources","type":"jpg","size":154048,"width":496,"height":279,"altText":"Sanitary items such as pads and tampons. "},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"How to break the stigma around periods ","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"Mark Arnold, Section Leader of Broadstone Scout Troop, talked to Scouts about all things pads, periods, and poverty. Here\u2019s how he did it.","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC80MDI1MSJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2019/september/how-to-break-the-stigma-around-periods/"}