Last year a group of Youth Voice students at Vincentia High School set out to tackle a challenge that many young people face but don’t always talk about, access to basic hygiene products. 

Through research, surveys, and conversations with their peers, the students behind the L1Give project, identified that some young people don’t always have access to essential items such as deodorant, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, body wash, and period products.  

Importantly, they also uncovered that support needs to be available in a way that protects young people’s privacy and dignity when asking for help in accessing these material basics. 

The students developed a proposal to help supply these products discreetly for the school community, and in August 2025 they pitched their idea to the school, community members and local organisations as part of the Youth Voice program. Their vision was simple but powerful: a school community where every student has access to the items they need to fully participate in school life. 

While the project did not progress to implementation at the time, the students’ work did not end there. 

Maria Pulido Lopez, Community Engagement Officer at Headspace Nowra attended the pitch and recognised the value of the research undertaken by the students. Firefly were able to share the student-led findings and data of the L1Give Project with Headspace and the local Shoalhaven Anti-Poverty Committee, who used the evidence gathered by the students to support a grant application to support school with access to basic hygiene products. 

We’re excited to share that Headspace Nowra’s application was successful. 

As a direct result of the research and recommendations developed through the L1Give project, funding has now been secured to purchase hygiene products for students across three local high schools, including Vincentia High School.   

Headspace Nowra is currently working with local schools to determine what products will be most useful and how they can be made available in a way that is discreet, accessible, and respectful of students’ privacy. 

This outcome demonstrates something we regularly see through Youth Voice: even when a project doesn’t immediately reach the finish line, the ideas, data, and advocacy of young people can continue creating change long after the program concludes. 

There has been further progress in this space as well. Through this work, Firefly registered to become a recipient of products from Share the Dignity, helping increase access to hygiene products for young people in our community. Donations have already been distributed to Sanctuary Point Public School and are also being made available through Walawaani-ngarn Wellbeing Hub at Vincentia High School. 

For the students involved in L1Give, this is a reminder that their voices matter. 

We couldn’t be more proud of what these young people achieved. Their compassion, commitment, and determination to support their peers have helped create positive change and demonstrated the power of youth-led action. 

Sometimes the most important outcomes are not the ones that happen immediately. Sometimes they are the seeds that are planted, quietly taking root until the right opportunity comes along. 

If you’re a young person who wants to make a difference in your community, we’d love to hear from you. Youth Voice will return in 2027 at Vincentia High School, providing local young people with the opportunity to identify issues, research solutions, and work alongside community partners to create real change. 

Interested in joining Youth Voice 2027? Email info@fireflybayandbasin.com with your name and contact details, and we’ll be in touch when applications open.  

Your idea could be the next project making a lasting impact in our community.