Empathy, the core of care
Two recent events compelled me to think about the topic of empathy and the responsibility we share as educators, parents, and community members in the nurturing of empathy in children and youth. National Pink Shirt Day was Feb. 22 (held Feb. 15 in Lethbridge School District).
The original event was organized by two students in Nova Scotia who bought and distributed pink shirts to classmates in an effort protest against the harassment that they had witnessed when another student in the school was bullied because he wore a pink shirt. The idea of wearing pink shirts caught on across the nation as a symbol for taking a stand against mistreating and abusing others and advocating for healthy relationships. The Pink Shirt campaign is about raising awareness of the importance of care, empathy, inclusion and understanding.
There are times when we think we have come a long way instilling these attributes in our children and youth, but we have a long way to go. For example, survey results published by Alberta Human Services (March 2016) showed that 88 per cent of Albertans agree that bullying prevention should be an urgent priority for their community, and yet 28 per cent of Albertans still believe that bullying is just a normal part of growing up. Statistics Canada (2016) conveyed that one in five youth report having been cyberbullied or cyberstalked — this is over one million children. These statistics are just that, numbers, but when put in the context of the impact on the well-being, healthy social-emotional development of children and youth, and potential life-long impact on self-image, resiliency, and ability to confidently pursue a future, the numbers should fuel a passion in us to do everything we can to reduce them.
Research tells that the core of care, the foundation of virtue and morals, is empathy. Empathy is basically the ability to walk in someone else’s shoes. Possessing empathy means that we can imagine and “care about” what the other person feels in any given situation. It is a key element of emotional intelligence. Someone who possesses a high level of empathy finds it impossible or near impossible to bully or mistreat someone else.
The second event that compelled me to think about the importance of empathy was hearing about an inspiring speaker at the recent Southwestern Alberta Teachers’ Conference. Eva Olsson, a 92year-old survivor of the Holocaust who lost her parents and numerous siblings, spoke to the importance of schools being a haven for children and the role educators play in shaping character. Making it her mission to speak for the 1.5 million children that died because of hatred, Eva pointed out that discrimination based on religion, culture or skin colour can have devastating impacts, and that we all have a role in creating a world free of hatred (a more in-depth account of Eva’s session can be found at
So how do we work together to develop empathy in our children and youth? There are a host of studies that explore this very question. Put simply, but not simply done, it is a matter of engaging children and youth in meaningful dialogue about feelings, creating opportunities for reciprocal expression of self and others, giving narrative and authentic story to lives and feelings as an outcome of external actions. It is about providing opportunities to serve others with time taken to listen to those they serve in order to feel the intrinsic sense of goodness that comes with having a role in creating happiness and well-being in others. If every adult in our community commits to providing a context for a child or youth to develop empathy every day, we will truly have a resounding impact on creating a world without hate.
Cheryl Gilmore is superintendent of Lethbridge School District No. 51.