Get Involved

We run an Alumni Mentoring Scheme and are looking for alumni students (undergraduate or postgraduate) to be mentors.

Our mentors work with students in their second or third year of their Social Policy undergraduate degree. The scheme’s aim is to provide them with additional insights beyond their degree and support them with the transition to employment/further education.

Please see testimonials below to hear about our mentors and mentees experiences taking part in the Scheme.

Mentor testimonials:

As an LSE Alumni Mentoring Programme mentor, I've been able to give back by supporting diverse students. It's been rewarding to guide students through challenges like neurodivergence and cultural shock. Drawing from my own culturally diverse background, I feel like I contribute by showing that there's indeed a light at the end of the tunnel. The program is quite well-organized and is far from a hurdle on my day-to-day – instead, it reenergizes me. I feel proud to be able to contribute to such an inclusive initiative.

I feel very fortunate being able to participate in the Alumni Mentoring Programme. As a mentor I am getting to know some fantastic students, while also being able to share advice and tips on how to approach next steps in my mentees’ careers - whether it is reviewing applications, discussing potential internship opportunities, or sharing my own experiences after graduating from the LSE. More general, it is a way for me to give back to a school that has supported my own career development greatly at the time.

Participating in the Alumni Mentoring Program has helped me stay connected to the Department of Social Policy after graduating from LSE. I greatly enjoy learning about the different experiences and interests of current students and sharing my perspective on topics like navigating the job search, networking in a virtual environment, editing CVs and resumes, and preparing for interviews. The Social Policy Department did a great job of matching me with mentees who were interested in working in a similar sector as me, so I felt like I was able to provide concrete, actionable advice to mentees based on my own experience. Throughout participating in this program, I have been impressed with the students' level of preparation for our meetings, and we typically agree on topics in advance so we can both prepare for the next session. For a small commitment of my time, I think (and hope) I have been able to help current undergraduate students prepare for their professional careers after LSE.

Mentee testimonials:

Going into my final year at LSE, I was unsure of what lay ahead of me. The Alumni Mentoring Programme gave me the opportunity to seek advice from someone who had been in my shoes a few years earlier in a constructive and candid way. As my mentor was abroad, we held three Skype sessions where we discussed my goals, how to build good habits, and career-specific knowledge. Throughout the experience, my mentor was very friendly and fully engaged with my queries. I felt comfortable enough to ask even the ‘silly’ questions. For me, the best thing I took from these calls was the actionable instructions I gleaned from our conversations. They helped me develop a good plan of action to make the most of my last year at LSE and set me up for post-university life. Thanks to my mentor, I have been able to secure an internship with the Cabinet Office this summer and a full-time offer from McKinsey for next year. I found this Programme to be invaluable.

The Alumni Mentoring Programme has been really useful for me, especially being in 3^rd year and still not having a clear idea of what I wanted to do after university. Having a mentor who has studied in the same university and same department as me was extremely helpful as it allowed me to see and ask about the different careers that are out there for people that have studied Social Policy, like social research. I’m really glad that I joined the programme, as I now have more information and insight into first-hand experiences in the career world.

The Alumni Mentoring Programme proved to be a transformative experience for me during my second year of university where I had no clear career goals. Having a mentor who shared a background in Social Policy at LSE was invaluable, as it provided me with unique insights into the diverse career paths available, such as consulting. Through this programme, I gained a wealth of information and first-hand experiences from my mentor, equipping me with the necessary tools to make informed decisions about my future. My mentor's guidance and expertise have not only expanded my horizons but also instilled in me the confidence to navigate the consulting industry successfully. I am so grateful for the opportunity to participate in the programme and for the support that has shaped my understanding and opened doors to exciting possibilities.

If this sounds interesting to you, please register your interest hereand we will be in contact.

If you have any questions, please email Kylie Patterson at socialpolicy.alumni@lse.ac.uk

The Department of Social Policy will use the information being collected in the above form for the following reasons: a) to contact you about the mentoring scheme, b) to process your interest in being a mentor and c) match you to a mentee (if applicable). We require this information for contractual reasons. You can ask us to stop processing your application by contacting Kylie Patterson at socialpolicy.alumni@lse.ac.uk. The data does not leave the UK/EU. Further information on how the School manages personal data can be found here.

We run a series of popular alumni-student networking events such as alumni panels and networking evenings. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Kylie Patterson at socialpolicy.alumni@lse.ac.uk.

Our alumni community is one we are immensely proud of! Social Policy alumni go on to have amazing experiences: pursuing their passions and making society a better place worldwide. They work in a wide range of sectors such as, charities/NGOs, consultancy, development, government, and research. It’s always exciting to hear what our alumni have been up to – here we highlight some of our alumni who are making an impact beyond the Department of Social Policy.

If you would like to share your story, let us know how life has been going since you left LSE and feature on our Alumni in the Spotlight series, please contact Kylie Patterson at socialpolicy.alumni@lse.ac.uk.