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Our Team

Meet the humans who believe in creating a world where everyone feels seen, heard & understood.

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A Message From
Our Founder

From Teacher to Filmmaker

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Every year I'm asked "Why empathy?"

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It's simple. Empathy is the most crucial skill that we can be developing because it underpins wellbeing, relationships and our ability to connect.
 

We are in a key moment in history. Society is becoming ever more globalised, with increasing neighbourhood diversity, and we are experiencing an unprecedented pace of technological change that is changing the way we live and work together. Young people must be equipped with the human skills needed to be curious, understand and listen to each other, even in moments of disagreement.


We know that empathy increases creativity, it can even help reduce racial bias and has a role to play in reducing cyberbullying. This is just some of the latest research that has highlighted the power of developing empathy in the past few years - not to mention our own research with Cambridge University this year.

Our award-winning Empathy Programme exists to build a generation of students that seek to understand before acting, that are trained in conflict avoidance, and becomes more selfless for the greater good. There is a reason Forbes and the World Economic Forum are highlighting empathy as the most important leadership skill.

The Programme exists to also be exciting, inspiring and move students into action. I've seen the power that it has by visiting Sundarmala and Sangam, students living in Kathmandu, in 2022. Winning the Global Empathy Award in 2021, Sundarmala told me how it changed her father's view on her own and girls' education. This is just one example of our work transcending school premises and impacting whole communities.

I've been a teacher, I understand the struggles of the classroom and so do my team. It's even harder in 2024 than ever before. It's why now we're able to produce a Programme so detailed, research-led and captivating. Join us as we continue to build the Empathy Generation in 2025.

 

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Our Team

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Ed Kirwan
Founder & CEO

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Nilema Bhakta-Jones 
Board Advisor

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Sara Milne Rowe
Board & Leadership Advisor

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Katie Webb

Head of Partnerships

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Sarah Giokabari
School Engagement Manager

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Myriam Coupard
Board Advisor

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Dr. Helen Demetriou
Psychologist, Lecturer & Author

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Shaun Bhakta-Jones
Board Advisor

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Dr. Claire Yorke
Author & Academic

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Will Craven
Communications and Marketing Manager

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Andy Galloway
Board Advisor

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