TASKs for democracy

4. Now write or draw any experiences that may have influenced your development, e.g. important relationships,
critical events, activities, organisations, travel, literature, art, media, educational activities.
5. Try to bring to the surface all the details surrounding your memory. This will transform your memory
into a story.
6. Examine your story for themes. These are the things you have learned and you need to make yourself
aware of these experiences by focusing on them.
Story
Description – “This happened in (month, year)”
1. Major event Did anything significant happen?
2. Influence What things/people had a formative effect?
3. Decision Did you make any decisions that had an impact
on your life or the lives of others?
4. Change What changes occurred?
5. Success What were your strong points?
6. Significant people Who were the key people who affected you?
Tips and potential difficulties
We are interested in how individuals develop empathetic behaviour. It is important that participants transform
their memories into stories so that their richness is retained.
Debriefing/reflecting
How did this exercise help you to learn more about the way you have managed to build your empathetic
skills and behaviour?
FURTHER READING
This set of activities is inspired by and in part adapted from:
Gargiulo T. L. (2006), Stories at work: using stories to improve communication and build relationships, Praeger,
Westport, CT.
The view of empathy outlined in the “Brief description of the unit” derives from Davis M. H. (1983),“Measuring
individual differences in empathy: evidence for a multidimensional approach”, Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology Vol. 44, pp. 13-126.
TASKs for democracy Page 300