Learning
Resources

Curiosity | Listening | Understanding

Learning Deeper

Videos

The following are a few videos to help you explore further displacement, sanctuary, and understanding

“Most Shocking Second a Day”
Save The Children’s Advert 2014

What if this happened here? Save the Children create a concept of this in this award winning film.

The follow up 2016 entitled “Still the most Shocking Second a Day

Clouds over Sidra (360 video)

What is life like in a refugee camp?

A tour of Za’atri refugee camp led by 12 year old girl.

The Island of All Together 2015

Holidayers and refugees meet and talk on the Greek island of Lesvos. Different ages and different .

Powerfully, bringing together the 2 worlds of us and them and crafting an empathy moment.

The follow up project in 2023 called “Children of the Labyrinth” exploring the question: “What do you tell your child when you are fleeing war and violence together?

Your phone is now a refugee phone

watch on mobile by BBC Media Action

What would you take with you? A question that make you realise what is your most powerful tool.

These Mile in My Shoes keyring was handmade by an Afghan friend who fled to safety on one of the last flights out of Kabul, narrowly missing a devastating bomb by just two minutes. Welcomed and supported by the Sevenoaks community, his family is now safe, rebuilding and settling in.

… and a reminder of the desperate journeys of many and inspiration to choose empathy.

Spread the empathy

Send a Mile in My Shoes (with a note)

Desperate Journeys exclusive

Spread the empathy and send a Mile in My Shoes keyring* to a friend, or someone, with a short note to say why empathy matters to you.

All you need to do is

  1. Email us (using the button beneath) with the name and address of the person you’d like to send it to

  2. A short message that we can handrwite onto a postcard

  3. Make a donation to help cover the postage & packaging OR join our Empathy Angels (our small but growing number of monthly donors who believe in building greater cultures of empathy)

*limited stock available

Further Empathy Exercises

Make your Own Mile in My Shoes

You will need:

  • Leather (or faux leather) offcuts or scraps

  • Fabric scissors

  • Suitable glue

  • Hole punching gun

  • Lace (1.5mm cord)

  • keyrings

Refugee Education Pack

These resources were created from our friends, GARAS in Gloucestershire for Desperate Journeys 2025 in Stroud for the local groups.

Understanding people's experience of migration

The British Red Cross has produced two sets of helpful resources (featuring our friend Khadeja)

9 Ideas & Activities written by Empathy Action volunteer

These resources were created by volunteer, David and former teacher as suggestions for classroom activities.

Book recommendations

Contact Us

To find out more about Desperate Journeys or to discuss running it with your group please do contact us today.

About Desperate Journeys

Creator and Director Hilary Sanders and Project Manager Chris Hix have written and produced an immersive theatre experience which enables participants to glimpse the desperation which is forcing so many in the 21st Century to flee from their homes to risk an unknown future.

Empathy Action is indebted to them and to those who have undertaken these journeys and allowed their stories to be heard.

Special thanks to our story consultant Reem Assayyah, Carl Haley (Hale0) and Hilary Sanders for music production, Heather Williams for props and Sarah Ford for costumes

We are indebted to our partners: Pickwell Foundation, Tonbridge Baptist Church, SPA Aluminium, NRS International, Tarpaulins Direct Ltd, Store Anything, Harrod Horticultural, The Gatehouse & New Life Church, Christ Church Tunbridge Wells,  and Tonbridge School.