Roots of Empathy in British Columbia
British Columbia was one of the first provinces in Canada to offer the Roots of Empathy program. In 2010, Roots of Empathy will celebrate a "decade of empathy" in B.C. – its 10th year of operation in the province.
Roots of Empathy was first offered in B.C. in 2000 in a pilot of ten classrooms reaching 250 children in Vancouver. The program has since flourished, and to date Roots of Empathy has reached 85,000 B.C. children.
Over the last 10 years, 3,400 babies with the Roots of Empathy program have been the youngest teachers in B.C. classrooms, and many of them are now students themselves in these very classrooms. A similar number of volunteer parents have learned more about their babies and the key role they play in a child's development. Thousands of B.C. classroom teachers have learned about their students' emotional lives and witnessed first-hand the power of helping children to develop social and emotional literacy.
The Government of British Columbia has been a major partner in supporting Roots of Empathy over the last decade, through both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Child and Family Development. B.C. Hydro and the Vancouver Foundation have also been generous sponsors and partners of the Roots of Empathy program.
British Columbia is the epicentre of independent research about Roots of Empathy; researchers at the University of British Columbia took a lead role in early evaluations of the program under the direction of Dr. Clyde Hertzman with Dr. Kimberly Schonert-Reichl as principal investigator. Starting in 2000, the team conducted a number of studies across different grades and populations. Today cutting-edge UBC research is continuing to inform the Roots of Empathy program in Canada and around the world.
In 2009-10, almost 9,000 B.C. children are participating in Roots of Empathy in more than 300 classrooms in 97 communities. The program is delivered in English and French, and in urban, rural and remote communities including schools with high immigrant populations, schools with high Aboriginal populations and schools on-reserve. All five of B.C.'s health regions are currently participating.
Dozens of agencies in British Columbia contribute Facilitators, Mentors, or local program coordinators to Roots of Empathy. Hundreds of non-teaching school board staff have been trained as program Facilitators. Roots of Empathy's Facilitator certification is highly valued in education, health, social service, and related fields, and the training provided is a significant capacity building investment in B.C. communities.
Roots of Empathy is committed to providing equitable access to its program in the French language. Our programs have been running in French and French immersion classrooms in British Columbia since 2005 with a dedicated French curriculum. Ten regions across the province are currently offering Roots of Empathy programs in French.
Roots of Empathy has a strong commitment to Aboriginal children in British Columbia (and to Indigenous children worldwide) and works in partnership with Aboriginal communities throughout the province. The program is currently offered in dozens of B.C. communities with high Aboriginal populations and five communities on-reserve. Roots of Empathy has been endorsed by National Chief Shawn Atleo of the Assembly of First Nations.