education - Empathy Action

Change in a Time of Crisis – 14

This week we wanted to focus on a change that is taking place at Empathy Action. At the end of July, we will be saying farewell to one of our founders, the incredible Matt Gurney.

Matt co-founded Empathy Action with Ben Solanky over five years ago. Late last year Matt felt that the time was right to step down as an Executive Director. He shared a heartfelt statement in which he spoke of the difficulty of his decision and how utterly convinced he remains of the vital need and impact of Empathy Action’s work. As Co-Founder, Matt emphasised that he will always be part of our team and how proud he is of everything we’ve achieved. We know that we can always count on his support, even from afar. While we will miss him, we are hugely grateful for his ongoing passion and commitment to Empathy Action.

We asked Matt to reflect on his time with Empathy Action and below are his thoughtful and inspiring answers to our questions.

How did Empathy Action come about?

Firstly I think it’s important to state that our primary reason for establishing EA – at the heart of both the ‘why’ and the ‘what’ of this organisation – was a response to Jesus’ commandment to “love your neighbour as yourself”. His mandate underpins everything we do and is the very purpose of our organisation.

EA also came about from a belief that not only do we all have a duty to actively care for others in our world, but that everyone can make a difference, each in their own way.”

We saw that all too often what holds people back is a feeling of helplessness in the face of so many and such enormous problems, which then breeds apathy. We recognised that if we could get people to empathise more deeply with others, through running empathy activities like simulations, this could serve as a powerful catalyst to spur people on to take action.

What’s the story behind the name?

The team spent many weeks trying to decide on the right name for the organisation, we even began with the interim name, The Empathy Project. In the end though, we decided to stop trying to be too clever by considering obtuse names such as ‘Petrichor’, ‘Stone Soup’ or ‘Pebble’, and just say it as it is!

The two words Empathy and Action sum us up completely; not only describing what it is we do, but also describing the type of compassionate action we ultimately wish to motivate in people…an ‘empathy action’.”

What has been your toughest moment?

I think anyone who knows us well knows there have been a few! However, I think some of the toughest moments for me personally were when any pupil would make the deliberate choice NOT to accept one of our gifts handed out to the participants at the end of a simulation. We use these gifts to illustrate how small actions can make a real difference (in this case benefitting the impoverished communities that make them) and we ask pupils to take them as a pledge to care and take action. Whilst it is only ever a handful of individuals who choose not to take one, my sense was always that they were the ones probably most in need of empathy and, my fear, the ones we’d failed to reach. My hope, however, was that a seed may still have been planted and in time bear fruit.

What are you most proud to have achieved through EA?

Again, there are so many things we’ve accomplished as an organisation these past five years, of which I’m immensely proud. Above all though I would say it is the clear and direct impact Empathy Action has had on the many thousands of school children who have taken part in our programmes, as reflected by – and as we’ve already witnessed in many cases – their compassionate choices and actions in the years to come.

Where do you see EA in 5 years’ time?

I would very much hope that the EA community has grown a great deal larger and become even more impactful. We always envisaged starting up new EA ‘hubs’ around the world, in time forming an interconnected, global community of like-minded and ‘like-hearted’ people working together to redress the balance. It would be wonderful if in 5 years’ time we had two or three – or even more – hubs up and running!

What do you take with you from EA as you prepare to leave?

Too many things to name here, but ranking very highly would be a great sense of privilege and deep camaraderie, from having shared a wonderful journey with some amazing people.

I also take with me a firm conviction, which I’ve had from the beginning, that Empathy Action and the role I’ve played in it is very much part of God’s plan.”

What have you learned about empathy during your time with EA?

I’ve observed that building empathy, particularly in children, is much like planting a seed. In some cases it can shoot up quickly with very little nurturing, or it may take years before the conditions are right for it to flourish and grow. But empathy on its own is not enough, it must be put to good use or it will simply wither and die.

Empathy only becomes meaningful and worthwhile if it is then used to take action to help others in need.”

What role can EA play during COVID-19?

Covid-19 is the great leveller, bringing the world to its knees and affecting everyone, regardless of who they are. And because of this we find ourselves in an extraordinary situation where the groundwork for empathy with one another, through a globally shared experience, has already been put in place. I believe that there now exists a unique opportunity for EA to harness that empathy and find new and innovative ways of channelling it into meaningful acts of caring for each other.

What is the most effective way to teach empathy?

The closer one can get to experiencing and ‘feeling’ the lives of others, the easier it is to build empathy with them. It needs an open mind and an open heart, but that is why we believe the experiential empathy activities we run, like the The Poverty Trap and Desperate Journeys, are such powerful tools for teaching empathy.

As Atticus Finch says in To Kill a Mockingbird: “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view . . . until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”

Thank you so much Matt for reminding us what empathy is all about! We are excited to continue to build on the strong foundation you have created and look forward to inspiring compassionate action in the times ahead.

Malawi Matters

One of our team recently spent some time in the district of Kasungu in the Central Region of Malawi. Here is a little bit about why she was there and what she discovered …

I’m tagging along on my son’s trip (he’s here to gain some volunteer experience in a District Hospital), and although I’m playing second fiddle/PA/hand-washer of clothes/the one with the dollars, I hope to discover something new for myself too.

This is my third trip to the Warm Heart of Africa and I know that the differences between it and my homeland are manifold – some are very obvious while others are so subtle that you only discern them in a drip, drip, drip way much later on.

My guide for the week is Innocent, second son of our friend, Fitta “the Fixer” Chipeta. Fitta knows everyone, and everyone knows Fitta (pronounced Feeta). It is he who has managed to secure my son this placement.

: Fitta

: Innocent

I want to learn more beyond the bare facts that Malawi remains one of the poorest countries in the world with about 50% of the population living below the poverty line and 25% living in extreme poverty. I’d like to hear stories, get to know individuals, gain impressions, understand how we are similar.

It’s true that stories of hardship are writ deep in the earth of this beautiful land. And yet smiles grace the faces of everyone we meet. Including the very engaging Fazili Gama (aka F Man), whom you may have already met via Instagram. He tells us of the ups and downs of his own story – including a recent personal tragedy – and explains his forbearance with reference to the Malawian mindset: “Things happen; we accept them; and we move on.”

Innocent shows me a country rich in bananas, cassava, tomatoes, onions, sugar cane, pumpkins, potatoes, maize, rice and a huge variety of pulses (a potential superfood in times of unpredictable rainfall due to climate change – particularly the so-called ‘Poor Man’s Pulse’, the drought-resistant Bambara groundnut).

I see them growing in the soil and then at the market – a busy, noisy, fast-paced labyrinth of tiny alleys which lead every which way to sell every which thing: to the fish quarter where silver catch from Lake Malawi (usipa) shine in neat piles; to the place where craftsmen hammer new pots and pans to add to their stock; and to stalls where bowls of bead-like pulses sit side by side with roundly stacked tomatoes and onions. And I hear the mellifluous calls of the women vendors as they spill colourful beans through their hands.

This vibrancy is matched by a deep love of life. Our friends (old and new) want to make time for my son and me, and visit us daily to sit, laugh and talk. We see people gathered in groups wherever we go, and I ask Innocent what they are doing. He answers: “They are chatting (kucheza), spending time together. It’s important.”

Back at the hotel the tired furnishings and vacant rooms speak of tough times. And when the power cuts occur (frequently), the generator chugs on only briefly in an effort to ration fuel.

Necessity engenders resourcefulness in all sorts of ways. The green bar of soap in our bathroom has been cut into half, with the other half probably in our neighbour’s room. One waiter says that nothing is wasted and everything is stretched to its maximum use. I learn that any leftovers we leave on our plates at mealtimes will find good homes with the kitchen staff. My son and I decide to over-order from then on …

On the medical side, people are no less inspiring. Each evening after work, clinician Tablin Mwambase drives an hour to a far-off village to assess the progress of a sick patient with serious wounds. He cleans and redresses them, then drives another hour home. When I tell him he is a very good man, he replies quite simply, “Every life matters.”

Richness in humanity … but the reality is that Malawi’s poverty can be crippling. We see it at the hospital, on the streets, at schools and in homes. It affects everything: health and growth, education and aspirations. Our contact at the hospital remarks that my son is very fortunate to be able to realise his ambition to become a medic. Countless families are unable to pay for their children’s secondary education. And although primary school is free, drop-out rates are high (children may be needed on their family smallholdings; basic school equipment is unaffordable; girls fail to attend when they are menstruating due to poor sanitation at school; etc).

: Girls perform domestic duties.

: Children swim when they should be at school – there may be many reasons for their absences.

One hotel worker asks me if I think Malawi has changed since my first visit in 2012. I answer that – yes, my sense is that times are harder now than then. He agrees, saying that Malawi is beset by corruption at the top. He is doubtful that the unpopular president will be ousted anytime soon, although a court case is seeking to establish the truth behind claims of wrongdoing in the popularly named ‘Tipp-Ex Election’ earlier this year.

Worst of all, the waiter worries that the ‘Warmth’ has gone from this ‘Warm Heart of Africa’.

I don’t want to believe that’s true.

So what have I discovered? That Malawi is a beautiful and complicated place.

Everyone has a story that makes you think and … I realise that I want to hear more – there is a great deal further to learn from these friendly, open and incredibly resilient people, and their deeply captivating land.

Becky

Schools Choose Empathy

(Photos by Hannah Robertson Photography)

Following the recent spell of Desperate Journeys at The Royal Victoria Place, we reflect on the rise of schools choosing empathy for their students. We have the privilege of facilitating groups to take ’empathy steps’ and here’s a little of what we see.

When schools speak to us we’ve heard one phrase more than others: that they hope to ‘burst the bubble’ of their students. Teachers often inform us that they wish to not only expand and challenge their students’ understanding but also to inspire the use of ‘their own privilege’ and enhance their desire to help others.

A date, time and place are agreed and then they arrive.

A class of young people is ready to learn about empathy. Some are nervous, thoughtful and quiet. Others are nonchalant, and focus elsewhere as they wait. Yet others are noisy with anticipation. Their teacher is with them, answering questions, and asking their own too.

What they are all about to do is outside of their classroom. In this case, outside of their school. And possibly outside of the comforts of their own outlooks. It is an exercise in putting on the proverbial shoes of another.

They go through an immersive experience. In this case it’s Desperate Journeys. It explores the journey a Syrian family has to make when forcibly removed from its home, and is based on real facts and testimonies. It is one of an expanding range of empathy based activities.

Participants share about what they felt and matters that had impacted them. As organisers, we have one purpose: to listen. This is their empathy, we want to hear.

The debrief

It’s been called an “incredible teaching tool”, something that is not easy to create in the confines of classrooms. These are some of the words students have used to articulate how they felt during and after the event:

“It showed me that life doesn’t have a happy ending for so many people. This made me feel very emotional and sad because it makes me realise how lucky I am.”

“There was no control over the choices and we had to make them quickly, knowing each decision would be bad.”

“Breathtaking and scary.”

“It makes you feel for refugees and puts you in their shoes – it seems real, feels scary but mind-blowing.”

(Pupils, Frant Primary School & Hilden Grange)

And from the teachers:

“Today you have reached the hearts and minds of those who have the power to change the future… This was, without doubt, the most powerful school trip I have ever taken a class on.”

“The children have not stopped talking about it.”

(Teachers, St Johns Primary School)

What encourages us, as organisers of empathy, is the growing appetite from teachers to want to bring empathy right into the heart of their schools. Choosing to use experiences and simulations like Desperate Journeys and The Poverty Trap as curriculum for their students.

Empathy Action is looking to increase its range of empathy activities (including a future Climate Action simulation) and work further with schools, businesses and community groups.

If you’d like to know more about bringing a simulations to your group or volunteer with us, please do get in touch. We would love to hear from you.

Global Citizenship, Empathy & Birthdays

Teaching Global Citizenship means allowing the students to deeply feel their responsibilities to those less fortunate than themselves. St Michael’s Prep school teacher, Mrs Chugg, arranged a ‘Go Global Week’ for students to

Develop knowledge of ‘other people & cultures’, and ‘concern & empathy for others not as fortunate as themselves’ and most of all a desire to make a difference.

Following a Christmas craft fair she met with Empathy Action and heard the range of stories form the producers of the products and the Action Pack idea for children’s birthday parties. She asked whether we could return and craft a half day programme for their Year 6s during their school’s ‘Go Global Week‘.

The other week the students explored how they felt about being in the richest 2% of the world. They listened to Sarah Playle, a local mum of 3, share about how she empathised with the refugee crisis in Calais and Europe. She described how her empathy acted as a catalyst to help others in need; particalrly teenagers who have become refugees, travelling vast distances with no families in the UK, and becoming a ‘community family’ for them. They were able to question her about what the Calais ‘Jungle’ refugee camp was like, ask why she wanted to help, and hear about her empathy for those less fortunate than her.

Students touched & felt products that were made from some of the marginalised communities, whilst listening to stories of the producers. At the end the pupils wrote their own “Empathy Action“, their personal plans for action, as a result of feeling for those less fortunate than themselves.

For Mrs Chugg, one of her hopes was to inspire the students to use their own birthday parties to be generous and help others by giving Action Packs as their party bags.

One student said to us “I will try and use Action Packs for my party“. He heard a little more about the producers of the the items, then as his ‘Empathy Action’ wrote:

I will have some of the party bag stuff for my party bags – PROMISE!

One parent fedback from the weekly newsletter to say:

So great to see this and keep our kids eyes open to what’s happening in the world, what they can do to make a difference and being grateful. Will came back inspired to raise money for the Syrian refugees

Empathy Action is returning in a few months to learn more of what these students will do as a result of the empathy programme. More to come from these Year 6s!

If you are interested in finding more about the empathy programmes for your school. Please get in touch here.

New Refugee Simulation

Empathy Action is currently designing a new refugee simulation for use with schools, businesses, charities, Churches and other community groups.

After many months of research spent travelling to hotspots, meeting and spending time with refugees, conversing with volunteers working in displacement camps and talking to other charities, Empathy Action is now weaving these stories into a new immersive simulation focusing in on the plight of the 65.3 million displaced people around our world.

Our aim, as with all of our simulations programmes, is to engender feelings. Feelings in this case that will deepen understanding and build empathy with those who are displaced. Feelings that will fuel a fresh wave of compassionate action in response to one of “the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time“.

Watch this space and our Facebook & Twitter channels updates.

If you are interested in helping, we’d love to hear from you. We have a range of needs and opportunities for this project and others. Email us on contact@empathyaction.org