London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Responding to the global need and requests from our alumni to get involved, network, develop their skills and give back to LSHTM and the world, LSHTM launched an innovative, new volunteer hub.

Alumni were given the opportunity to mentor students or become “student buddies” to offer friendship and emotional support. Alumni were recruited to volunteer for an exciting crowdsourcing, rapid data project with Professor Chris Grundy’s team, to use their expertise to tackle the global pandemic and build a database of every COVID-19 intervention globally for the World Health Organization (WHO).

LSHTM volunteers dedicated around 4,000 volunteering hours to the new projects. This includes around 2,500 hours spent volunteering on the rapid data project.

Head of Alumni Relations and Regular Giving, Alice Perry, said: “The value of this is tremendous, not just for LSHTM but for the whole world. By expanding mentoring, we were able to support people at a time when they most needed it. LSHTM’s rapid data volunteers helped save lives around the world, providing decision makers with up-to-date information as the pandemic unfolded. Thank you so much to everyone who took part. It was very special to be able to provide our amazing alumni opportunities to make a difference and use their skills to help the world.”

Volunteers fed back the benefits to them personally, from continuing professional development to helping their mental health during the pandemic. Volunteers said the projects provided them with structure and meaning in a tough time.

If you would like to join the thousands of alumni who volunteer for LSHTM, you can sign-up at LSHTM Connect. Learn about joining the alumni, staff and students working on the rapid data project.