News & Events

Launch of Activating Social Empathy Transition Year Programme

In Autumn 2025, we were delighted to launch a new, advanced empathy education module for senior cycle students in Irish secondary schools. Activating Social Empathy (ASE) is a practical classroom resource designed to help teachers promote empathy skills and understanding among Transition Year (TY) students. This new micro-module complements the existing Junior Cycle ASE resource, offering age-appropriate lessons and activities that challenge TY students to explore empathy in more complex social contexts.

The ASE TY micro-module was developed by researchers at the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre (UCFRC) together with colleagues in the University of Galway’s School of Education, working closely with a Youth Advisory Panel from Foróige. The micro-module, endorsed by the National Council for Curriculum Assessment, is informed by theory and practice in the area of social and emotional learning and underpinned by research evidence relating to the development and expression of empathy during adolescence. The ASE schools programme is supported by the Irish American Partnership and Lifes2good Foundation, our Centre patron Cillian Murphy and partners Foróige and Penn State. 

As an initiative of the University of Galway’s UNESCO Chair in Children Youth and Civic Engagement, ASE is aligned to the UNESCO agenda in transforming education to reflect 21st century skills.  For young people growing up in a world marked by rising social polarisation, environmental crises, and mental health issues, socio-emotional and behavioural skills are increasingly valued as part of education policies designed to address broad dimensions of learning.  ASE targets key learning objectives relating to Global Citizenship Education and Sustainable Development, including promoting critical thinking, empathy and understanding toward diverse others; tackling stereotypes and prejudice; and fostering awareness of local/global social justice issues. 

The ASE TY module is designed to strengthen students’ empathy skills through ten interactive, lessons incorporating a range of active learning methodologies supplemented by comprehensive sample materials (e.g., scenarios, video-links). The programme encompasses three interconnected components: Cognitive Empathy (i.e., awareness or understanding of others’ perspectives); Emotional Empathy (i.e., feeling with, or for, another person), and Empathic Action (i.e., translating understanding and feelings into supportive, helpful actions). Included are strategies to address empathy barriers and engage in empathic actions across diverse contexts.  As stated by lead researcher Dr. Charlotte Silke, “The core aim is to support young people in becoming more attuned to the feelings and perspectives of others, and more confident in expressing empathy across a variety of real-world contexts”.  

In their ability to reach a universal group of adolescents, schools provide a unique context and infrastructure to deliver interventions such as the ASE programme.  To date, 185 teachers have downloaded the programme. The Manual is available as a free resource to all Irish schools and can be accessed directly here.

Silke, C., Davitt, E., Flynn, N., & Dolan, P. (2025). Activating Social Empathy: Transition Year Module. Galway: UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, University of Galway.