Empathy Action

Year 7 had the chance to experience a refugee simulation activity run by the charity Empathy Action.  They enacted the part of a family forced from their home in a war-torn country, confronting the sorts of impossible and heartbreaking decisions that refugees would face.

Afterwards the pupils reflected on their experience and this is what they had to say:

“The experience was eye-opening as even though we knew it was a simulation, your emotions were still quite real.”

“I felt amazed at the sacrifices [refugees] make to escape from the war in their country”

“It was unbelievable to think that the smugglers basically had our lives in their hands.”

“I felt frightened at the start because there were soldiers coming into our home and we had to run. I felt sorry for the family losing their home.”

“What struck me was that people go through this every day, and people lose their family every day to seek a better life.”

“I realised that lots of people in the world are going through this as a real situation.”

“Some of the choices were very brutal.”

“I could picture what it was like in real life to lose somebody.”

“When I was on my own I was really scared that I would never see everyone again.”