Starting in September, organic pads and tampons will be available in washrooms in the Library and Learning Commons at Camosun's Lansdowne campus.
Director of Women's Services with Camosun College, Sybil Harrison, says they decided to launch the pilot project just in the main floor bathrooms of the library for several reasons.
"The library is a place where we are really committed to inclusion. We have really long hours, we're open seven days a week. We are a place where students feel comfortable, there's a high level of trust they feel with this place. So as a location to launch this pilot, it seemed like a really obvious choice, and a nice extension of the range of services our library provides for our students"
She adds that the washrooms on the main floor of the library is one of the busiest on campus, because it's centrally located. Harrison adds that the staff in the library are also very committed and involved in overseeing the project, making the location an obvious choice.
The products will be available in both the men's and women's washrooms, because some people may identify one way but still need the products, and it will also help break down any stigmas around menstruation.
Harrison says this project is very important, because menstruation products can be very expensive, especially for students.
"There's the costs related to tuition, there's text books and other resources that you need to get to school. You know what housing is like in this community. So the affordability challenge is really real for students, and so often many women are faced with one more sort of affordability issue in the many things that they face."
She adds that many times, a woman's period starts suddenly and without warning, and leaving campus to go to a nearby store, where the prices may be higher, isn't always a feasible solution. The pilot project will provide an immediate solution for those in need, and at no cost.
Harrison says the school will be paying attention to how the products are received throughout the pilot project, by monitoring their supplies and surveying students.
"We have launched today an online survey. Beside every dispensary is a QR code and a URL, so anybody using the product can easily access a survey and provide some feedback. We're hoping to plan some events where we can hear from students and members of the college community. And at the end of the pilot, be able to develop some really good recommendations for the college on how we consider what we can do in the future."
The $5,000 dollar pilot project is being funded through a Camosun Innovation and Creativity Grant, which will stock newly installed dispensers with the Go and Flow products. It will run through the academic year, then it will be re-evaluated to see if the project can be extended across the campus.