Empathy: the key to a better world

Empathy Is a Crucial Life Skill for At-Risk Youth

Empathy is the ability to understand the world from another’s point of view. When you feel another’s emotional state, this usually allows you to react with kindness. Many at-risk youth lack empathy because they have not been treated with love and kindness. Empathy is rarely a separate subject matter. Instructors who have attended the ARISE Life skills training realize troubled youth become more empathetic to each other when they engage in ARISE guided group discussions.

Evidence based studies have proven that ARISE Group Facilitators demonstrate this attribute during group interaction and facilitation of ARISE lessons. Vulnerable youth quickly realize that in an ARISE Life skills group session, there are no put-downs. Staff show respect for a youth’s opinion even if they don’t agree with it. This inspires the youth to feel comfortable, valued and eager to participate in the guided group discussions. ARISE Life skills curriculum and training programs have been evaluated by the Justice Research Center of Tallahassee, Florida. The results indicated a significant improvement in levels of empathy in the youth and staff participating in the ARISE Life Skills program. Children with antisocial personality disorders often lack empathy. Particularly those in trouble with the law, lack the empathy skills. Empathy is a life skill that can be learned. Without empathy young people rarely grow up to be caring adults who respond with positive emotions.

Train staff in your organization to conduct empathetic ARISE life skills sessions:

View our life skills staff training online
View our life skills curricula for teens
View our life skills curricula for middle school
View our life skills curricular for elementary school

According to recent research, empathy is a habit we can cultivate to improve the quality of our own lives. According to an article by Roman Krznaric, syndicated from Greater Good, August 25, 2013: There are six habits of highly empathetic people:

  1. Cultivate curiosity about strangers
  2. Challenge prejudices and discover commonalities.
  3. Try another person’s life- As the Native American proverb says: “ Walk a mile in another man’s moccasins before you criticize him:”
  4. Listen hard and open up
  5. inspire mass action and social change
  6. Develop an ambitious imagination

To learn more about empathy read the complete article from the Greater Good, August 25, 2013