Cork's Cillian Murphy backs empathy skills initiative for schools

A free resource on empathy education, developed by the Unesco Child and Family Research Centre and championed by actor Cillian Murphy, is now available for transition-year students across Cork.

The national Activating Social Empathy programme is a classroom resource designed to help teachers promote empathy skills.

The programme was developed by researchers at the Unesco Child and Family Research Centre at University of Galway and colleagues at the university’s School of Education, and a youth advisory panel from Foróige.

It has been endorsed by the National Council for Curriculum Assessment, and by Cillian Murphy, who is a patron of the research centre.

The 10 interactive lessons encompass three interconnected components, including cognitive empathy, emotional empathy, and empathic action.

Feelings

Charlotte Silke, lead researcher at the Unesco Child and Family Research Centre, said the programme aims to “support young people in becoming more attuned to the feelings and perspectives of others, and more confident in expressing empathy across a variety of real-world contexts”.

Professor John Canavan, director of the Unesco Child and Family Research Centre, said, for young people growing up in “a world marked by rising social polarisation, environmental crises, and mental-health issues, socio-emotional and behavioural skills are increasingly valued as part of education policies”.

“Empathy is a process of understanding others’ perspectives, feeling for others, and taking supportive action,” said Mr Canavan.

The manual is free to all schools and can be accessed by following the link at https://www.universityofgalway.ie/ilas/centres/uncfrc/.