Social wellbeing

The School’s staff volunteering provision applies to all employees at the School and has been designed to enable staff to proactively identify and get involved with volunteering opportunities.

The School supports and encourages volunteering by enabling staff to take up to five paid days a year (pro-rata for part time staff, running from January to December) to undertake voluntary work, which should be calculated and recorded locally. 

The School recognises the benefit and reward of taking on such work and the impact it can make on a charity or individual. The benefits of volunteering are well known, and can range from ‘giving back’ to a community, learning new skills and can also be linked to improving your own wellbeing.

Further benefits of volunteering can be found on the LSE Volunteer Centre webpage. Although the LSE Volunteer Centre is aimed at students and School alumni, it contains a lot of useful information about volunteering, so please do take a look.

If you choose to take up the School’s volunteering leave, we hope that you enjoy this valuable experience. As with any leave request, you should first discuss and agree with your line manager the dates on which you wish to take leave - this discussion should happen well in advance of the leave so that you both have the chance to consider any potential operational implications for the team. 

We also ask that you record what has been agreed using the Special Leave Request Form that you can download from the Special Leave Policy or alternatively from the HR A-Z webpage (under the 'S' accordion). While it is not in itself required for approval, it is helpful if the completed form could be shared at Staffwellbeing@lse.ac.uk - this allows us to see what types of volunteering are taking place, which we can use to promote the provision further! 

Please do get in touch at Staffwellbeing@lse.ac.uk if you have any questions about volunteering leave. We'd also love to hear from you if you would be happy to feature as a case study on this page and/or in communications to promote the provision.

The School has a great range of classes and clubs running throughout the year in and around campus, with everything from tai-chi and gardening clubs to bookclubs and yoga.

LSE Bees

LSE Bees works with a professional beekeeper to maintain and develop our rooftop hives and pollinator garden.  They also harvest and sell LSE honey, spread awareness about bees and organise events like honey tasting, field trips movie screenings and talks by experts. 

Why not join to get year-long hands-on beekeeping experience under the guidance of a professional beekeeper, learn about the secret lives of bees, help to protect pollinators who pay a crucial role in our food supply chain and take a break to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine with like-minded staff and students.

Details about joining can be found on: www.lsesu.com

Craft Sessions

Emma Nabavian runs a number of virtual craft sessions during the year (usually during School closure periods). Learn a new skill, network with colleagues and generally have fun!  

Please contact Emma at E.H.Nabavian@lse.ac.uk if you would like to be added to the mailing list for future sessions. 

The Knitting Group

Are you interested in knitting, crocheting or yarn crafts? Then this group could be for you!

We welcome all knitters, crocheters and yarn crafters whether you are a beginner or have years of experience.

We meet virtually at 12.30-1.30pm on Wednesdays or Thursdays. Please email Clare Hudson at c.hudson@lse.ac.uk to be added to the mailing list.

Leather Craft Class

These creative, fun and practical sessions will teach how to make all manner of functional leather items by hand, which in turn can be used as unique gifts or personal items.

All tools and leather will be provided, and you are also welcome to bring your own leather if required.

The cost of each session is now £5, generally running from 1pm to 2pm. For more information, dates on upcoming classes and to book a place, please contact Brian Williams b.v.williams@lse.ac.uk

Rooftop Gardening

The School's rooftop gardening club has an informal ‘drop in’ time of meeting on the Shaw Library roof terrace on Tuesdays from 1pm. It would be great for anyone interested in gardening in or learning how to come along.

For more information on how to get involved and enjoy the best of this club, please contact Dan Reeves at d.reeves@lse.ac.uk  

The School is proud to have a number of successful staff networks.  Explore the support and networking opportunities to meet staff from around the School.

LSE's Staff networks:

Disability and Wellbeing Network (DAWN) 

DAWN's aim is to make LSE more disability confident and raise awareness about disability on campus. 

Contact: dawn@lse.ac.uk

EmbRace

EMBRACE (Ethnic Minorities Broadening Racial Awareness and Cultural Exchange) is the School's black and minority ethnic group for staff at LSE.

Contact: embrace@lse.ac.uk

LSE Power

The Power network was created in early 2015 in response to an initiative by LSE's Equality and Diversity team to set up a number of informal staff networks.

Contact: Professional.Womens.Network@lse.ac.uk

Spectrum

Spectrum is the network for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans + (LGBT+) staff at LSE. 

Website: Spectrum

Contact: spectrum@lse.ac.uk

Twitter: @LSESpectrum

Parents' and Carers' Network

The Parents Network is for parents (which includes anyone who is caring for a child, be it their own, adopted, or fostered) and carers to meet and exchange experiences, tips, and to socialise.

Contact: parents.and.carers.network@lse.ac.uk

If you are interested in talking about a new network please contact or the School's Equity Diversity and Inclusion team or email Staffwellbeing@lse.ac.uk. You can find full details of all staff networks on the EDI webpages. 

LSE Tree is the School’s Teams networking group for all things non-work! Originally set up in 2020, LSE Tree has enabled staff to network and connect with each other whether they're on or off campus. 

There's already a range of different channels set up - covering fitness and wellbeing, exploring nature, recipes, gardening and much more - so please feel free to pop in. As well as showing you at a glance what your colleagues are talking about wellbeing-wise, LSE Tree is also where you'll often see new wellbeing initiatives announced.

Religious beliefs and one's faith commitments help shape lives, communities and nations in dramatic ways all around our world.

For many of the Faith Centre’s users, practicing faith and spirituality is an integral part of being well and keeping life in balance. Regardless of your faith or belief, taking time away from the noises of life to pause, tune in and pray is becoming increasingly important in our busy world.

The Faith Centre opened in 2014 and serves as a wellbeing hub hosting a range of activities for worship, prayer, refreshment, encounter, hospitality and learning for all staff and students, and welcomes all. The Cave is also available for a quiet space for reflection. 

Take a look at the faith and wellbeing on offer at the Faith Centre.