Empathy education seeks to decrease bullying, discrimination, racial profiling, and violence to improve students’ feelings of inclusion as much as possible.
Supporting the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at the University of Galway, the Partnership is dedicated to assisting the implementation of Activating Social Empathy in post-primary schools.
Professor Pat Dolan and Dr. Ciara Boylan, working with Patron, actor Cillian Murphy have created the program as a resource for schools to further their work in fostering empathy.
Professor Pat Dolan, director of the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at University of Galway, is passionate about promoting empathy among schoolchildren. Empathy, he says, is key to preventing bullying behavior, tackling racism, promoting understanding, and improving social connectedness.
Activating Social Empathy inspired Ionbhá: The Empathy Book for Ireland, edited by Cillian Murphy, Pat Dolan, Gillian Browne, and Mark Brennan, which features the works of individuals from all walks of life and many renowned figures–from President Michael D. Higgins to Bray-born pop star Hozier, to our very own CEO Mary Sugrue.
The Activating Social Empathy program develops greater social skills, relationships, conflict resolution, promotes understanding of prejudice, and improved academic capability in participating students, creating ripple effects in the broader community.
“As patron of the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre I want to say thank you to everyone at the Irish American Partnership for furthering our youth-led empathy education program in secondary schools.”
– Award-winning Actor and Patron, Cillian Murphy
“Your donation means that for the very first time a selection of schools across religious and political communities in Northern Ireland can now experience this program.”
Award-winning Actor and Patron, Cillian Murphy
“Where young people learn empathy, they learn compassion. Where young people learn compassion, they gain the capacity to be active supporters to others in school.”
– Professor Pat Dolan, National University of Ireland, Galway