Holly Bazley, aged 25, from London, struggled at school due to dyslexia and ADHD but became interested in the gamification of learning. She is determined to tackle the gap in menstrual and hormonal education in schools, which affects everyone, both in school and in life. She co-founded Hormoneia, a game that will help young people understand their bodies and equip teachers with the knowledge and skills to better educate everyone about menstrual health.
“We have created Hormoneia, a game to break down the taboo of periods and to educate people on how hormones dictate their everyday lives. Effectively, we have developed our own period curriculum: the education we wished we had.”
About Holly
Holly struggled to keep up with her peers at school and found the nature of teaching through reading and writing particularly difficult to understand. She discovered that by playing board games at home, she was able to learn the science and maths concepts she required for school.
In 2019, she began creating her own STEM board games and started her business, Hybrid Games Boardgame Learning. She now takes her innovative games into schools to encourage students to get excited about science through play rather than tests.
The problem
Research from the Sex Education Forum shows that 61% of young people receive insufficient or no menstruation education. There is a significant lack of comprehensive and engaging education around hormones, puberty, and periods for young people.
It is important to ensure that all young people have access to accurate information about their bodies and reproductive health.
“1 in 4 teachers do not feel comfortable teaching the menstrual cycle, and few receive any training on how to provide this education. By providing teachers with comprehensive menstrual health education and training, we can empower them to play a more active role in supporting their students’ reproductive health.”
The bold idea
Created by Holly Bazley and Sophie Hui Lin Walker, Hormoneia is a game about hormones and the menstrual cycle that makes a normally taboo topic amusing, enjoyable, and educational. The project seeks to fill a gap in education by using a unique approach to teach critical topics that are often seen as irrelevant.
It will provide schools with free workshops to help young people learn how to understand what is going on inside their bodies and minds, and to equip teachers with the knowledge and skills to better educate their young people about menstrual health.
The aim is to create an engaging and interactive tool that can be accessed by schools, educators, charities, and parents across the UK and beyond to educate and empower individuals about their bodies and hormonal changes. Teachers will be better equipped to support their students’ reproductive health.
“I hope my educational board games inspire others to rethink the current educational model and incorporate more playful approaches to learning.”
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