EmpathyLab

💭 Make a difference to your entire school community!

We're so grateful to hear how teachers are using EmpathyLab's approach to embed empathy into everyday learning. ��

⭐️ We'd love to work with your school next year – you can train with us online, or in person, bringing together a trust or group of schools. Find out more on our website.

Empathy matters.

Empathy helps us connect with and understand others. It helps us recognise when someone is at breaking point. It means we see their value, not only criticise their flaws.

We all have flaws. They can be examined without cruelty. If we choose empathy.

Choosing empathy means we celebrate differences, notice needs, and try to understand. It’s not a soft choice, it’s a powerful one that values our complexity and humanity.

We can’t ever fully comprehend someone else’s experience but we can be curious, and take a moment to really see them. To give their feelings respect.

As the Year 6 children at Crich Junior School showed when they read Alex Latimer - Author and Illustrator’s Gordon the Meanest Goose on Earth, empathy means trying to understand someone’s behaviour and showing them respect. We all deserve to be seen, valued and understood.

If you want to make a positive change and build empathy muscles at school, at home or in your community reading will help. Read, connect and take action to make the world better for everyone.

Empathy is learnable and we need it now more than ever.

🎉 We are very excited for our September collaboration with Global Tales, celebrating East and South East Asian Heritage Month... watch this space!

But for now, check out 40+ FREE Empathy Shorts from an AMAZING array of authors.

Totally free to use as you wish - perfect bitesize empathy-rich reads for the classroom, library or at home.

📚 Happy reading!

✏️ Another beautiful reflection on empathy from the young writers at Crich Junior School, truly capturing how empathy can help someone feel seen, supported and less alone.

Empathy isn’t just something we talk about. Through the EmpathyLab Schools Programme, children are supported to turn their understanding of empathy into creativity, ideas and actions that can make a real difference in everyday life.

If you’d like inspiration and practical support to embed empathy across your curriculum and school culture through everyday reading, visit the EmpathyLab website to find out more about our Schools Programme, bespoke training and year-round resources.

Jacqueline Wilson is a true empathy champion

As her latest book, Esme Pepper is published today, we wanted to send our congratulations and share that we are very excited to be teaming up with Jacqueline and for some very special in-person and online events this October…watch this space!

Jacqueline’s books were some of the very first to explore the messy reality of family and school life for younger readers, including divorce, separation, adoption, mental health, sibling rivalries and bullying.

Her characters leap off the page as they encounter everyday, relatable challenges and untangle emotions – and over 100 books later, her work is still as feisty, fresh, and empathy-rich as ever.

We can’t wait to share more about what’s in store, and we’re REALLY looking forward to reading Esme Pepper!

⭐️ Another wonderful poem from the talented young writers at Crich Junior School.

Thank you to the teachers at Crich for creating space for children to explore, express and share empathy through reading, writing and meaningful classroom conversations as part of the EmpathyLab Schools Programme.

Children and young people learn best when they feel understood, connected and safe.

This thoughtful poem is a lovely reminder that empathy grows when we pause, listen and try to understand another person's perspective. It's a learnable, life-changing skill that transforms how children relate to themselves, each other and their learning. And books are one of the most powerful tools we have to build it.

If you'd like inspiration and practical support to embed empathy across your curriculum and school culture through everyday reading, visit the EmpathyLab website to find out more about our Schools Programme, bespoke training and year-round resources.

Last Friday we were delighted to be at The Art of Empathy: storytelling in mental health conference - the Royal College of Psychiatrists Arts Psychiatry Special Interest Group summer event.

We were invited to speak about the methodology and impact our work, alongside other organisations using creative health practices, and practising psychiatrists who use storytelling as a way to support their own mental health.

It was such a fascinating day. EmpathyLab Managing Director Imogen and co-founder and chair Sarah Mears were so pleased to be joined by teacher Alice Hine from Hallam Fields Junior School in Derbyshire who spoke passionately about the impact reading for empathy has on pupils' sense of belonging and connection, strengthening their whole school culture. And award-winning author and EmpathyLab Ambassador AM Dassu who shared compelling insights from her readers on the unexpected connections they find in characters which help them feel seen, valued and understood.

Massive thanks to the Arts Special Interest Group for inviting us, and brilliant to hear from, and be inspired by, speakers including:
who gave a hilarious and heartbreaking keynote on the power of story to make sense of our very human struggles
who brought the awe and beauty of opera and got us all singing too
who inspired with her stunning poetry
CNWL Art Therapists sharing the changes their practice brings and absorbing us in drawing

💭 Small changes in the classroom can make a big difference to how children understand themselves and others.

We're so grateful to hear how teachers are using EmpathyLab's approach to embed empathy into everyday learning.

⭐️ We'd love to work with your school next year – you can train with us online, or in person, bringing together a trust or group of schools. Find out more on our website.

https://empathylab.uk/empathy-schools/

We LOVE the Summer Reading Challenge for 4-11 years olds, and the theme this year, Read to the Beat has got our toes tapping!

Here are some fantastic books from recent Read for Empathy Collections for younger readers to enjoy as part of the Challenge. And as you're never too old to take on a summer reading challenge, we've also included some Read for Empathy titles for older readers too.
These books all include beats of all kinds - music, dancing, rap, poetry and more.

The Summer Reading Challenge is a FREE holiday activity for children. It's all about reading for fun, aiming to improve children's reading skills and confidence. The Challenge runs every year throughout the summer holidays, and all children aged 4-11 are welcome to take part. Children can read anything they like (really - anything!) and collect free rewards for their reading.

If you're not yet part of the Challenge, and want to find out more visit www.summerreadingchallenge.org.uk or go along to your local library.