This was a question I asked myself at the beginning of my internship. I always wanted to make a difference for people and society, but societal issues are never sunshine and rainbow. After attending the first interview, I sympathized deeply with the interviewee. I knew heavy topics could come up, but I was still unprepared for the intensity of emotions.
Behind the problem lie many complex, deeper issues, often tied to people dealing with profound emotions. If you want to help people, you have to be able to handle it, right? It almost felt like a vulnerability. The conclusion I drew at the time: Be tougher, because that ensures good focus and a productive rest of the day. Eventually, it became clear that interviews don’t necessarily get easier, but with experience, you become better prepared, making it easier to distance yourself at the right moments.
After discussing this with colleagues, I came to the conclusion that it’s better to experience empathy strongly than very little. Because only then can you truly understand and help your target audience. In the continuation of this project, I was able to provide a lot of input precisely because of my empathetic ability. So: embrace it and make use of it, because this is what makes us, as social designers, unique and enables us to create real change.
