Access to clean clothes is shaping attendance and engagement, with one school’s laundry initiative offering a practical solution to a hidden barrier to learning.
A few years ago at Frankston High School, staff began noticing a pattern that pointed to a deeper issue affecting student engagement. Some students were arriving in wet or unclean uniforms. Others were absent altogether. The reason, in many cases, was simple: they did not have access to a working washing machine at home.
The school’s Business Manager Ms Carolyn Florance says the issue became impossible to ignore. For some students, the lack of clean clothing created a barrier to attendance.
“It’s the difference between whether they come to school or they don’t come. If they don’t have clean clothes, they don’t come,” Ms Florance says.
The impact extended beyond attendance. Staff observed students becoming disengaged in the classroom, reluctant to participate, or avoiding school altogether due to embarrassment.
According to School Laundry Program coordinator Ms Katie Lavidis, this is a common experience across schools. The program funds and installs washing machines within school grounds, giving students access to free laundry facilities. Orange Sky manages the setup, including installation, supplies and training, allowing schools to focus on student support.
“Teachers are seeing students either asking for second-hand uniforms because they don’t have anything to wear, or disengaging because they’re embarrassed or being singled out,” she says. “In some cases, students are disengaging from school completely because they don’t have anything clean to wear.”
Seeking a way to support students, Ms Florance reached out to Orange Sky after seeing Co-founder Lucas Patchett speak about the organisation’s work. What began as a request for advice became the first pilot of the School Laundry Program.
“We aim to make it as easy as possible for schools,” Ms Lavidis says. “We work with them to understand their needs, find a suitable space, and align the laundry with existing wellbeing services.”
At Frankston High School, the laundry is located alongside inclusion and wellbeing offices, creating a central hub where students can access multiple forms of support. While their clothes are being washed, students can connect with staff, seek assistance, or simply spend time in a supportive environment.
The impact has been immediate and sustained. More than 900 washes have been completed since the program began, with strong uptake from students. Ms Florance says the response highlighted the scale of the need.
“Once they were told about the laundry here at the school, they were in tears of relief that they were able to wash their clothes, not just their school clothes, but their clothes at home and their bedding,” she says.
Staff have also observed increased engagement and attendance among students using the service. By removing a basic barrier, the program is helping students return to the classroom with confidence and a stronger sense of belonging.
“The amount of engagement that we see in students at school as a result of being able to access the laundry has increased,” Ms Florance says. “It’s fantastic that we have this here in our school and in our community.”
Schools interested in joining the program can submit an expression of interest via Orange Sky’s website at https://orangesky.org.au/school-laundry-program/. The team guides schools through the setup, provides training, and ensures the program meets each school’s unique needs.
