Susie Heywood and Barbara Adzajlic are public health professionals, authors and parents who are on a mission to promote positive messages and good practice around gender stereotyping in the early years and beyond.
We are deeply committed to promoting approaches which we believe can help to bring about the culture change that is required if we are to tackle gender inequality and the range of negative public health outcomes that it drives.
We believe that a “whole setting approach” to gender stereotyping which aims to ensure that nobody is in any way limited because of their gender and which provides a counter balance to the messages we receive from the world around us, can help to compensate for the many messages that society sends to us about what is expected of us.
We are happy to discuss any opportunities for collaboration in activities and initiatives which will help us to further our aim: that nobody should be limited in any way by the harmful gender stereotypes which we find in the world around us.
Contact us to discuss opportunities, writing commissions, speaking or lecturing, professional learning or any other way we can help you to raise awareness of this important area of work.
Who are we?
Susie Heywood MPH BD
Susie has a wide range of interests, but is driven by social justice and a desire for fairness and equality. As a public health professional she advocates for preventative approaches to a variety of social determinants of health, including poverty, mental health, suicide prevention and income inequality. For over 8 years she committed to a programme of work aimed at reducing gender inequality. She is passionate and driven. She has experience in evaluation, resource development, group facilitation and training development and delivery and enjoys sharing her work with a variety of audiences. Susie co-created the Gender Friendly Nursery project on behalf of NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde. She now works in a role supporting suicide prevention work across Scotland, but continues to deliver workshops and inputs around gender stereotyping whenever opportunities arise.
Follow Susie on Twitter/X at @susfloos
Barbara Adzajlic
Barbara is a highly experienced public health professional committed to reducing health inequalities and to developing ‘upstream’, preventative approaches, particularly in the area of gender equality as a root cause of a range of public health issues including men’s poorer mental health, LGBT health and wellbeing, and gender based violence. Her experience includes aspects of mental health, poverty, nutrition and gender equality with a focus on the prevention of gender based violence. She has experience in the design and delivery of programmes and training, has carried out research, published evaluation reports and presented information to a wide range of audiences. Together with Susie, Barbara created and delivered the highly regarded Gender Friendly Nursery programme on behalf of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
Follow Barbara on Twitter/X at @Badzajlic
We have worked with many wonderful organisations including:
University of Strathclyde – University of Nottingham – West Lothian College
University of the Highlands & Islands – Atlantic Technological University Sligo
Technological University Dublin – South East Technological University – Tapestry UK
Kinderly UK – Early Years TV – Fathers Network Scotland – Homestart Glasgow North
Homestart Glasgow South – Play Scotland – Mental Health Foundation – Children in Scotland
The Foundation Stage Forum – Waterford Childcare Committee – Childcare and Education Expo
and many many individual nurseries and childcare settings.
