Building Empathy and Active Listening Skills
Connect with the people you serve by truly hearing them.
For: Any volunteer
What you’ll learn
- Practice active listening that makes people feel heard
- Respond with empathy instead of judgment
- Pick up on what someone needs but isn’t saying
- Reflect feelings and meaning back so people feel understood
Screen your volunteers for $5
VolunteerBadge runs FCRA-compliant background checks for just $5 — with identity verification built in. No monthly fees, no contracts.
Create a free account →Course outline
- 1
Why listening is the volunteer’s superpower
4 min
- 2
Empathy vs. sympathy
4 min
- 3
The anatomy of a listening moment
5 min
- 4
Hearing what isn’t said
4 min
- 5
Barriers that switch listening off
4 min
- 6
Empathy in action: a procedure you can use
4 min
- 7
Putting it together: a real conversation
3 min
Sources & further reading
- Whole Being Institute (Rogers & Farson) — Active Listening — Carl R. Rogers & Richard E. Farson (full text)
- Boulder Crest Foundation (Brené Brown) — What Is Empathy? — the four attributes of empathy
- Lumen Learning (Public Speaking) — The Three A’s of Active Listening; listening efficiency & retention
- Big Think — The 7-38-55 rule: debunking the “golden ratio” of conversation
- EBSCO Research Starters — Active Listening — origins, components, and outcomes
This course is educational and provides general information about the Fair Credit Reporting Act and volunteer-screening best practices. It is not legal advice. Laws vary by state and change over time — consult a qualified attorney about your organization’s specific obligations.