“Within a week of putting the information out the DropShop was fully stocked and operational”.
The PE DropShop is an initiative that Ross Robinson, PEPAS Officer (Perth and Kinross Council) and PE Teacher is very proud to have developed and put into practice at Perth High School.
The idea for the successful PE DropShop started around the same time that Covid restrictions were eased and the school were able to start using PE changing rooms again; there was a period of time where pupils could not get changed for PE lessons.
We caught up with Ross below, where you can find out more about how he started the initiative, what he enjoys most about it and some advice on if you’re looking to launch your own programme.
Can you tell us a little bit about The PE DropShop and how it started?
“I realised that there would be some young people who hadn’t needed to use their PE kit in almost two years and that as a result they may not have any suitable kit at home. We know that there are some young people in our school community who are unable to go out and buy brand new PE kit for various reasons, so I decided to try to do something to help those pupils”.
“I had seen a similar idea at a school in Stirling where they had a supply of kit that pupils could borrow if they forgot their kit on any day, I took that idea and adapted it so that any young person who needs kit can come and look in our DropShop, if they find something suitable, they can take it home and keep it – no questions asked”.
“The DropShop is not locked and is in a fairly quiet area of the school so young people using it can do so privately. All we ask is that once they no longer need it that they return it to the DropShop”.
What do you enjoy most about The PE DropShop?
Ross says that there are a few moments that have stood out as being really positive and have showed him that the initiative is working.
“Firstly, coming back into school a few days after we sent out info about the DropShop to find that our school community – our staff, our pupils – had donated so much kit. I had expected it might be a slow start as we built up a stock of kit, but within a week of putting the information out the DropShop was fully stocked and operational”.
Ross saw a young person wearing a pair of football boots that he had donated to the DropShop and knew the young person had not had a pair of proper football boots before – “they had just worn regular trainers to their PE and extra-curricular clubs, so to see clothing that I no longer needed being used by somebody who need it most was heart-warming”.
Ross also told us about a young person in his class who wasn’t aware of the DropShop and arrived with no kit. “After speaking to her for a few minutes she admitted that she didn’t have any PE kit at home and that her parent’s couldn’t really afford to buy any”. Ross took her along to the DropShop, explained how it worked, and left her to it – “she came into class 10 minutes later absolutely beaming wearing her new clothes”.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced and how did you overcome it?
“There are probably two things that we would consider challenges. Firstly, how do we get the information to the people who need it most, and secondly, how do we ensure that young people feel comfortable using it without fear of embarrassment etc”.
For the information issue, Ross has made a point of promoting the DropShop as often and as widely as possible by making it a regular feature in daily notices, school newsletters and on social media. It is also something Ross encourages the PE department to discuss with their classes.
“We are also aware that there may be young people who don’t have PE kit but don’t feel comfortable using the DropShop. We wanted to avoid any stigma being attached to the DropShop so have set it up to be as anonymous as pupils want it to be. The DropShop is open at all times of the day and is in a fairly secluded part of the school. Young people don’t need to ask to use it or even inform anybody that they have used it”.
What feedback have you received from The PE DropShop?
“With the anonymous nature of the DropShop getting any feedback can be difficult. We don’t always know who has used it, so asking for feedback is not always possible”.
“The best feedback for me is when I check the DropShop and notice that items have been added or taken. That shows me that the initiative is becoming self-sufficient. We have enough conscientious and generous pupils/staff to keep the DropShop well stocked, and we have succeeded with our information sharing enough that young people who need to use the DropShop are aware of it and comfortable using it”.
What advice would you give to others looking to start a similar initiative?
“I think the biggest thing with an initiative like this is ensuring that the communication is on point. It has to be advertised in a way that people feel comfortable and confident to engage with it without fear of embarrassment or stigma”.
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