In a hands-on, interactive workshop students are encouraged to ask: What is empathy?

What happens when we empathise with people different to us? How does it change us and our society?

Experientially we learn to transform our perspective, our schools, our community and our world.

Empathy is the ability to step into another’s shoes, to look at life from another’s perspective. By transforming our sympathy into empathy, we may begin to see as others do. This is easy with friends, but to empathise with a stranger is much harder. But, as the unknown becomes known, we may see that we are all the same. This insight empathy brings makes it a tool for change, having the power to transform ourselves and maybe even some of the biggest issues facing our society.

At The Intersection, we strive for an empathetic world. Our two decades of work in Melbourne have brought us into contact with the stranger (homeless/addicted/marginalised) and inspired us to imagine what life is like for them. These acts of empathy have helped us to see ourselves in them and discover our shared humanity. We invite you to step into another’s shoes with us and see life from their perspective. This session draws on The Intersection’s ongoing empathic work to challenge and inspire students to not only have empathy themselves but use it as a tool to inspire change in the world.

This session runs as a 90 min workshop and costs $455 (plus GST) when hosted at our CBD venue.

It can also be provided at your school (or another venue) at no additional cost for bookings of 2 or more sessions on a single day.

It is highly recommended that groups also participate in our “A City Walk” session.

For enquiries & bookings information email bookings@theintersection.org.au or make a booking request.

Can be provided at a level suitable for Grade 5/6 students or other non-standard groups. Ask us!

Students practice the skill of empathy through a panel style Q&A conversation with a small group of people from diverse backgrounds and experiences of marginalisation in our city venue.

By connecting with people we may have false assumptions about, students realise that these people are more than just stereotypes, they are our neighbours and we are all connected.

At The Intersection, we recognise that curiosity is key to empathy. To understand the different ways that people see that world requires more than just imagination, it requires exploration and inquiry into real people’s experiences.

We have developed a unique new session called Meet The Neighbour — students can meet one of 10 people who have experienced disadvantage or discrimination in Melbourne, in a 20 minute collaborative conversation.

Meet The Neighbour creates safe spaces for dialog where topics can be discussed openly. We take you on an active journey of empathy building, dissolving the stereotypes that divide us and discovering that, underneath, we are all the same. This opportunity to connect with and learn from people in all walks of life reveals to us the transformative power of empathy and connection as tools for personal and social change.

For enquiries about & bookings for this unique offering please email bookings@theintersection.org.au or make a booking request.

This “intersection” invites you to imaginatively ‘walk in the shoes of another’. A self guided experience of chose your own adventure. Follow the map and interactive audio around the city to hear different stories of people living and working in Melbourne. 30–90 minutes depending on how many people you follow.

PLEASE NOTE: This session is generally only available when booked in conjunction with other sessions.

For enquiries & bookings information email bookings@theintersection.org.au or make a booking request.