Empathy Week and Futures for All

We have partnered with Empathy Week to offer 11-19-year-olds at state secondary schools insights into how they can build empathy as a skill which will help them in the world of work.

Empathy Week is an annual festival of films, storytelling and events that develops the skill of empathy in students aged 5-18.

Taking place 9-13th March 2026, it is completely free for schools to take part. Register your school for Empathy Week, here.

This year’s theme  ‘Your Culture, My Culture, Our Culture’, invites students to explore what culture truly is: the shared stories, values, languages, traditions, creative expressions and everyday practices that shape how people live.

Students will explore their own identities and encounter diverse experiences through a variety of exciting resources, including:

• 2 x film-based assemblies per age group

• On-demand talks with inspiring guest speakers

• Live in-person events for UK schools

• Online accredited CPD sessions for teachers

Empathy is the one human skill that powers all others, including leadership, creativity and resilience. Human skills are crucial to prepare young people to navigate change and be ready for a 21st century world of work - one that is rapidly being reshaped by technology and AI.

How we will be working with Empathy Week

We will be inviting speakers from the Speakers for Schools network to give talks between 9th and 13th March at schools across the UK as part of Empathy Week 2026.

So far, we've had lots of school interest in hosting speakers as part of Empathy Week and will be pairing speakers with schools based on speaker availability.

Interested in hosting speakers? Submit an application to host speakers from Futures for All. Please note: this is a general application and we could be in touch with speakers not participating in Empathy Week talks.

Speakers we have participating so far, with more to come are:

• Victoria Greenwood, Ex Criminologist & Solicitor & Trustee, Longford Trust

• Chris Terrill, Anthropologist, Author & Documentary Maker

• Peter Kellner CBE, Former Chairman, NCVO and Former President, YouGov

• Pratik Dattani, MD, Economic Policy Group

• Dr Samir Guglani, NHS Oncologist, Author and Director of Medicine Unboxed

• Lynne Berry CBE, Academic, Government Regulator and Charity Chair

• CeCe Sammy-Lightfoot, Vocal Coach & TV Presenter

• Jean Campbell, British Fashion Model

• Sarah Baynes, CEO, The Creative Garden

• Dame Philippa Russell, Vice President, Carers UK

• Professor Martin Elliott, Children's Heart Surgeon and Provost, Gresham College