teach empathy
#6 | 16/11/22
“…to understand another you must first walk a mile in their shoes…”
For the 8th time Headington School chooses to teach using The Poverty Trap programme… here’s what the staff shared with us about what some of the year 9 students said:
"It made me feel empathetic…"
"I felt really desperate... I will tell my friends and share with my family and spread this out to make more people know and understand."
"It made me more aware that we are really privileged and that we should be grateful for what we have because there are people out there that aren’t as lucky as we are."
"Empathy Action helped me to reflect on my everyday actions…"
Coming soon, for us, will be creating a longer term programme that looks to work closely with groups to build a culture of empathy within them using a myriad of our existing programmes (and designing or curating newer ones!), talks and handicraft campaigns.
Christmas on
The Empathy Store:
3 bundles
This week we run a new Desperate Journey ‘Stage’ version with TWCF Young at Heart to complete our revamped immersive workshop programme.
In April we will be going to the Geography Association conference for The High Life - hugely excited about this prospect!
“Statistically the thing most likely to kill me… is me”
3 years ago Empathy Action was stuck into TEDx Royal Tunbridge Wells. Recently we heard of (another) young person suicide. Death is still a taboo and whilst we’re edging toward s death cafes, it’s still not an acceptable subject. Ben Akers, here, powerfully says we say “how are you?” all the time… it’s embedded in our language, why don’t we rephrase it and try to tackle suicide. It was a powerful moment of empathy when we saw him on stage. Here it is.
Dig Deeper
Want to help young people. Step up to mentor in your local schools. Here in our hometown of Tunbridge Wells, local charity acts, together with the schools as a ‘early intervention’ service with ‘solution focused’ activity. Volunteers are wanted!
Also check out:
Purple Heart podcast - a local grassroots initiative to us (feature a few former work experience students).
Let us know about more opportunities in your area if you know any.
What we are watching, listening, reading, attending…
“When freedom of voice is denied, expression must find a different voice”
- Barry Davies commentating on the World Cup game between Poland and USSR (July 4th , 1982 following the oppressive regime in Poland by the Soviets)
It’s hard to avoid the world cup, the controversy, the corruption and the wrestle with the powers. One thing it is, for many, is an opportunity, like the Iranian team to bring attention to global issues. See more on what’s happening in Iran here.
Other reads, clips, podcasts, events, films from around the team
Frameless art exhibition in London and the powers to break traditional boundaries
One of our UCL consultants pointed out how UCL are creating an Immersive Factual Storytelling MA - looks cool!
Swimmers is now on Netflix - based on the life of Yusra Mardini (a Syrian swimmer)
As we look to broaden our work with slavery we heard from our friend at International Justice Mission and their expertise in the area of slavery called ‘bonded labour’
Our Migration Story - a website of stories (often untold) of the generations of migrants who came to and shaped the British Isles. Fascinating!
7 ways to help us…
URGENT: VOTE FOR US today! We’ve been put forward to receive £1000 for this Christmas campaign (above) - we could do with your voice… could you help us?
Volunteer - we really need a bunch of regular helpers (eg a few hours or more(!) a week or for our immersive workshops from time to time).
Share the news! - please forward, share any social media posts. Ta!
Spread the word! - we’d value an intro… to any potential vols, customers or even clients! Word of mouth is the best!
Become an Empathy Angel - this year we are looking for 100 ‘Empathy Angels’ to help invest into us as we reboot empathy action to build a ‘Culture of Empathy’. Could you spare us the price of a cuppa (£2.50) a week… We can’t and don’t want to do this alone!
Host a coffee morning with a table of our handicrafts to sell and invite interested people to learn more and enjoy a cuppa
Via smile.amazon - link here to enable amazon to give money to EA
Thank you!
