Roots of Empathy

Roots of Empathy is a global organization offering empathy-based programs for children, with research to prove impact. It is a leader in the empathy movement.

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Roots of Empathy reduces aggression/#bullying, increases sharing, caring & inclusion & promotes resilience, well-being & positive #mentalhealth.

We’ve reached over 1M #children globally with our #school-based programs & we have research to prove impact!
https://t.co/LAWVe6eIxz

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Rarely do leaders from business, politics, public life, health and technology gather to examine one question from many perspectives.

On November 11, they will. What is the role of empathy in democracy? Be part of Roots of Empathy's 30th Anniversary Symposium at the Globe and Mail Centre in Toronto, or join from anywhere online.

Don’t miss out! Register today: https://t.co/mQZIjybA3h

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Get your tickets today! One Question. Many Perspectives.

What happens when leaders from business, politics, public life, health and technology come together to explore the role of empathy in democracy?

Join us for Roots of Empathy’s 30th Anniversary Symposium on November 11, in person at The Globe and Mail or online via livestream.

📍 In person: Globe and Mail Centre, Toronto
🕒 3:30-6:00 p.m. ET (doors open at 3:00 p.m. ET)
🎟 $50

💻 Online: FREE, 3:30-6:00 p.m. ET

Register here: https://t.co/mQZIjybA3h

The speaker lineup includes Upkar Arora, Geoff Smith, the Honourable Bob Rae, Jennifer Welsh, Dr. Kamran Khan, Dr. Eileen de Villa, Rosemary Sadlier and Mary Gordon. Sessions will be moderated by Mary Ito, David Common and Ian Brown.

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Attention families in #BritishColumbia! We’re looking for families with a baby aged 2 to 4 months to join us as Volunteer Families for the Roots of Empathy program.

You and your baby can make a BIG difference in the lives of children in your community.

What's involved:
🌱 Nine classroom visits over the entire school year.
🌱 Your baby becomes a ‘Tiny Teacher’ for a classroom in your community!
🌱 Help the children learn all about your baby and, through this, learn more about themselves and each other!

Contact: Debra Phillipson, [email protected]

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Mark your calendar: November 11 🗓️

Roots of Empathy brings together leaders from business, public life, political affairs, health and technology to explore one important question:

What is the role of empathy in democracy?

Join us in person at The Globe and Mail or online via livestream for our 30th Anniversary Symposium and celebrate 30 years of growing empathy.

Register today: https://t.co/mQZIjybA3h

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Thirty years ago, Roots of Empathy began with one baby in one classroom.

This Thanksgiving, we're grateful for every family, ROE Instructor, and school that has helped bring Roots of Empathy to children.

Thank you for 30 years of empathy.

Happy Thanksgiving, Canada. 🍁

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Early relationships are where mental health begins. This World Mental Health Day, we’re celebrating a moment of recognition for our founder, Mary Gordon.

At the 19th World Congress on Infant Mental Health in Toronto, co-hosted by WAIMH World Association for Infant Mental Health and SickKids, Mary was honoured for her longstanding contribution to infant and early mental health.

Mary’s work began in 1981 with the Parenting and Family Literacy Centres of the former Toronto Board of Education. It has continued through Roots of Empathy, which she founded in 1996, and Seeds of Empathy in 2005, with consistent support from the Ontario Ministry of Education. Mary is also an Ashoka Fellow and a social entrepreneur.

Throughout, the focus has been the same: strengthening the conditions in which children grow, and supporting the parents and educators alongside them.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of Roots of Empathy.

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Today, we recognize the importance of mental health and emotional wellbeing for everyone—children and adults alike.

By nurturing empathy, we can create safe, supportive environments where everyone thrives. Together, let's prioritize mental health and build caring, peaceful and civil societies through the development of empathy in children and adults 🌍💚

#WorldMentalHealthDay

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

What happens when children spend a school year with a baby? 💚

Once a month over the school year, a parent and baby visit the classroom. With a ROE Instructor guiding their observations, students notice and talk about how they think the baby is feeling. This becomes the bridge to talk about how they feel and to understand how their classmates feel.

Interested in getting involved? Learn more: https://t.co/vYsXU2Hne2

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Happy World Teachers' Day! Today we honour educators everywhere and the difference they make in children's lives each day.

A special thank you to our Roots of Empathy host teachers. We’re grateful to work alongside you in nurturing children’s mental health, emotional literacy, and wellbeing.

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

This National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we recognize the resilience of Indigenous Peoples and the weight of what this day asks us to remember.

Wear orange. Learn the history. Listen to survivors. Reconciliation is ongoing work, not a single gesture — and it belongs to all of us.

#RootsofEmpathy #TruthAndReconciliation #OrangeShirtDay #NDTR

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Newfoundland & Labrador families, we’re looking for more 'Tiny Teachers'! 👶 Do you or someone you know have a baby aged 2-4 months?

For more information, contact: Claudia Long at [email protected] or 709-351-4051

https://t.co/MHSjdbhgeI

@NLSchoolsCA

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Attention families in #Scarborough #Etobicoke and #NorthYork!

We’re looking for families with a baby aged 2 to 4 months to join us as Volunteer Families for the Roots of Empathy program.

You and your baby can make a BIG difference in the lives of children in your community.

What's involved:
🌱 Nine classroom visits over the entire school year.
🌱 Your baby becomes a ‘Tiny Teacher’ for a classroom in your community!
🌱 Help the children learn all about your baby and, through this, learn more about themselves and each other!

Contact: Tahmina Khatun, [email protected]

https://t.co/WSRVg8XS0t

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Our Instructors see moments like this all the time — the ones that don't make it into a lesson plan but say everything about why the Roots of Empathy program exists.

This is the everyday magic of Roots of Empathy 💚

#RootsofEmpathy #EmpathyMatters

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Today is International Day of Peace. At Roots of Empathy, we've always believed peace starts small — in a classroom, in a child learning to recognize another's feelings are as real as their own.

As our Founder, Mary Gordon says, "Children are the healers that can make this world better."

#RootsofEmpathy #InternationalDayofPeace #PeaceDay #WorldPeace

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Want to help nurture empathy in children in one of your local schools? We're looking for passionate Volunteer Instructors in #WashingtonDC.

🟢 Instructors attend a 3-day in person training on delivering the program near you.
🟢 Programs are delivered by the trained Instructor in their local community school starting in the fall and till the end of the school year.
🟢 All new Instructors are matched with a school, a family, and a Mentor who will support them in and out of the classroom.

Roots of Empathy (ROE) is an international children’s charity that helps nurture empathy in children. We’ve reached 1.2 million children so far. We do this through our unique programs that are offered in schools internationally.

Contact: Angelina Shoemaker, [email protected] or [phone]

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Attention families in #CowichanValley #BritishColumbia! Will you have a baby aged 2–4 months this October?

Your family could make a lasting difference in the lives of children in your community!

Roots of Empathy is centred around your baby becoming the ‘Tiny Teacher’ in a classroom. Volunteer Parents bring their babies into a classroom, and guided by a Roots of Empathy Instructor, the children are encouraged to read your baby’s emotional cues and take your baby’s perspective, which can lead to the development of prosocial skills such as empathy and inclusion.

Contact: Nancy Buan at [email protected]

https://t.co/WSRVg8XS0t

#RootsofEmpathy #Duncan #Cowichan

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Roots of Empathy training in Nova Scotia!

A new group of Instructors are getting ready to bring Roots of Empathy into classrooms across their communities.

The training was filled with thoughtful questions, deep reflection, a genuine eagerness to learn and a strong focus on understanding the program.

We can’t wait to see where their Roots of Empathy journey takes them — and the impact they’ll make along the way 🌱

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Attention families in #Kamloops #BritishColumbia! Do you or someone you know have a baby aged 2-4 months in October?

Roots of Empathy is centred around your baby becoming the ‘Tiny Teacher’ in a classroom. Volunteer Parents bring their babies into a classroom, and guided by a Roots of Empathy Instructor, the children are encouraged to read your baby’s emotional cues and take your baby’s perspective, which can lead to the development of prosocial skills such as empathy and inclusion.

For more information or to sign up, contact: Kathy Price at [email protected]

https://t.co/WSRVg8XS0t

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

Newfoundland & Labrador families, we’re looking for Tiny Teachers! 👶 Do you or someone you know have a baby aged 2-4 months in October?

We’re looking for volunteer families to take part in programs at the following schools:

📍Bishop Abraham Elementary, St. John's
📍Rennies River Elementary, St. John's
📍St. Matthew's Elementary, St. John's
📍Riverside Elementary, Clarenville
📍St. Peter's Primary, Mount Pearl
📍St. Paul's Intermediate, Gander
📍Gould's Elementary, St. John's
📍Twillingate Elementary, Twillingate
📍Elizabeth Park Elementary, Paradise

Roots of Empathy is centred around your baby becoming the ‘Tiny Teacher’ in a classroom. Volunteer Parents bring their babies into a classroom, and guided by a Roots of Empathy Instructor, the children are encouraged to read your baby’s emotional cues and take your baby’s perspective, which can lead to the development of prosocial skills such as empathy and inclusion.

Contact: Claudia Long at [email protected] or 709-351-4051

https://t.co/aufipDcPbK

[Roots of Empathy @RootsofEmpathy]

#Hamilton families! 👋 Will you have a baby aged 2–4 months this October?

Your family could make a lasting difference in the lives of children in your community!

Roots of Empathy is centred around your baby becoming the ‘Tiny Teacher’ in a classroom. Volunteer Parents bring their babies into a classroom, and guided by a Roots of Empathy Instructor, the children are encouraged to read your baby’s emotional cues and take your baby’s perspective, which can lead to the development of prosocial skills such as empathy and inclusion.

Contact: Lori Fraser
[email protected] | 289-201-0510