Toolbox — For Training and Youth Work
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Exercise, Group Building Activity
Empathy Cards for Game-Based Learning
Empathy Cards are an interactive, game-based peacebuilding tool helping young people build self-awareness, dialogue, cooperation, conflict navigation, and creative problem-solving skills through reflection, discussion, and participatory activities.
Aims of the tool
The Empathy Cards aim to strengthen young people’s empathy and peacebuilding skills by developing self-awareness, active listening, constructive dialogue, cooperation, conflict navigation, and creative problem-solving through participatory reflection and experiential learning.
Description of the tool
The tool is grounded in the understanding that peacebuilding is connected to everyday relationships and interactions. The cards therefore approach peacebuilding not only as a response to larger social conflicts, but also as a set of competencies that can be practiced in daily life: understanding oneself, listening to others, communicating across differences, cooperating, responding constructively to disagreement, and searching for solutions together.
The cards can be used individually for self-reflection, in pairs for deeper listening and dialogue, in small groups for collaborative exploration, or in plenary sessions facilitated by a youth worker, trainer, educator, or peer facilitator.
Available downloads:
- Navigating Conflict_Conversation Cards.pdf
- Navigating Conflict_Activity Cards.pdf
- Self-Awareness_Conversation Cards.pdf
- Self-Awareness_Activity Cards.pdf
- Dialogue_Conversation Cards.pdf
- Dialogue_Activity Cards.pdf
- Cooperation_Activity Cards.pdf
- Cooperation_Conversation Cards.pdf
- Creative Problem Solving_Conversation Cards.pdf
- Instruction Leaflet.pdf
Disclaimer
SALTO cannot be held responsible for the inappropriate use of these training tools. Always adapt training tools to your aims, context, target group and to your own skills! These tools have been used in a variety of formats and situations. Please notify SALTO should you know about the origin of or copyright on this tool.
Tool overview
http://toolbox.salto-youth.net/5940
This tool is for
The primary target group is young people, particularly Generation Z, from diverse social, cultural, and educational backgrounds. The tool is also suitable for youth workers, trainers, educators, facilitators, peer educators, and community leaders working with young people in non-formal education, peacebuilding, intercultural dialogue, conflict transformation, and community-building contexts.
and addresses
Social Inclusion, Conflict Management
It is recommended for use in:
Youth Exchanges
Training and Networking
Materials needed:
The main material required is the Empathy Cards deck. Depending on the selected activities, facilitators may also use paper, pens or markers, sticky notes, flipchart paper, and other basic creative materials. A comfortable space that allows participants to work individually, in pairs, and in small groups is recommended.
Duration:
The Empathy Cards are flexible and do not require a fixed duration. A single card can be used for a 15–30 minute activity, while a selection of cards can form a 60–120 minute workshop. The full deck can also be integrated into a longer training programme and used across several sessions.
Behind the tool
The tool was created by
Funded by the Erasmus+ Programme, the project brings together partner organizations from Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Georgia, and Armenia to co-develop innovative, game-based approaches to conflict transformation and youth engagement.
in the context of
The Empathy Cards are prepared as part of the project InnovatorsLab: Gen Z's Game-Based Peace Building, a transformative initiative empowering Generation Z to lead peacebuilding efforts through creativity, technology, and play.
The tool was published to the Toolbox by
Nelly Paytyan (on 12 August 2026)
and last modified
11 August 2026
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