The charity Roots of Empathy provides an award-winning program for elementary school children that independent research shows increases empathy, reduces aggression and bullying, and increases caring, kindness and inclusiveness.

"Change the world, child by child" by becoming a Volunteer Family The Program is centred around you and your baby's loving relationship, with a Roots of Empathy Instructor guiding a discussion with children, encouraging them to read your baby's emotional cues and take your baby's perspective. Your baby is the "Tiny Teacher". The children learn to identify and name your baby’s feelings, reflect on and understand their own feelings, then bridge to understand the feelings of others. The development of emotional literacy helps children understand how their behaviour or words can hurt others, and enables children to make friends and build positive relationships. "I would strongly recommend this program for your baby and for your community. What a way to make a difference for students by bringing the pure joy of a baby into their world." - Volunteer Roots of Empathy Parent.

What's involved in being a Roots of Empathy Family:

Nine times over the school year, you and your baby will visit a classroom with the Roots of Empathy Instructor and join the children around the “Green Blanket”. You will help the children learn all about your baby and in turn they will learn about themselves, their feelings, and their temperament traits. The children will celebrate your baby's milestones such as rolling over, clapping, sitting and more, which are captured in a photo book for you and your baby. The children show their love of the baby at the end of the program with wishes for the baby's future.  *Babies must be between 2 and 4 months old in October