I used to think...

Now I think...

• expose them to a wider area of beneficiaries

• help them find a beneficiary that they truly empathise with and care about

• allow them to have first hand experience

• allow beneficiaries to share their experiences

however, now i realise that there is a difference between the two, which distinctly sets them apart; the action or inaction that follow a sense of emotion.

then encourage them to understand the situation better. ask them to feel connections deeper than feeling bad for them and feel emotional bonds instead

make them understand that emphathy leads to kindness and kindness leads to more kindness

• Share the difference between sympathy and empathy and how empathising would be a better way during VIA engagements

I would attempt to improve their empathy ask students to try to put themselves in someone's shoes and imagine how the person feels and how distraught they would be when they just see people spectating, not doing anything.

Now I realise that there is a difference and that empathising is much better

One thing i can do is to encourage my classmates to put themselves into the shoes of the situations the people we focus on go through and think about the needs and wants of theirs. To show empathy, we can base our VIA project off of their needs and wants to show that we care and relate to them instead of just doing this VIA for the sake of doing it.

This would help participants as it involves understanding and experiencing the beneficiaries of what they go through. So that when socializing or helping them, the students would get to better help and create lasting impressions and impact.

Now I think that we can step out of our comfort zone and do more than needed, for what is needed.

Students can be brought out to visit homes for the elderly/disabled/children. They could be engaged in talks with the residents there and perhaps develop some connection over similar experiences before empathy can be realised.

From now onwards, i want to take action and help and empathize with those in need whenever i have the opportunity to.

Now I still think that empathy is difficult to cultivate, but it doesn’t mean that it cannot be done. Sometimes all it takes is for people to talk about service learning and what their experience is like.

What I will do differently now is that I will be more proactive to get people to share about their experience to inspire others to do the same.

Now I know what the difference is, Empathy is understanding the pain of someone and not just feeling pity. Sympathy is feeling pity but not understanding someone's pain fully.

Now I think that empathy has a deeper meaning than sympathy as it means that one has a deeper connection and understanding of the person who is going through hardship.

Now I think that social service is reaching out and engaging to the community and understanding the stories of different individuals from different background and making a personal connection to it and maybe take a step further to do something more (e.g. Long term projects, volunteering consistently, be a community builder or social worker, etc.) for the community.

now i think that you can connect your experiences, no matter how small, to empathize with someone

Pity- just watch from the bus stop

Sympathy - wait and see what others do

Empathy - Run out to help

Thank you for the enlightenment. ☺️

Now I think that empathy is a personal connection through experience and sympathy is feeling for someone, not with them.

So, from now onwards, instead of being a sympathising outsider, I would like to be an empathising outsider who can be anyone's safe space.

Now I think we need be more intentional in helping students feel empathy instead of pity or sympathy.

Moving forward, I would give more consideration to the emotional involvement and personal connection portions of VIA.

Emphasise on EMPATHY <3