What is peer research?
Peer research is empowering. It is directed and conducted by people with lived experience of the issues being studied. This means people can affect positive change that matters to them.
Peer researchers have a deep and personal understanding of the social or geographical community being studied. They may assist with research design, help develop research tools, collect and analyse data, and help write up and disseminate findings.
Peer research can also be referred to as community research – or as user involvement or service user research when it is conducted together with the users of a specific service to evaluate that service.
Find out moreIntroduction to peer research course
16 April 2025
9:30am – 3:30pm
This online course is for organisations wishing to develop their peer research project management skills in-house. A previous participant said: “I learnt a lot and feel inspired.”
South Ham and Buckskin
A community-led research project in South Ham and Buckskin gathered insights into local residents’ experiences and priorities for change. Read about the programme and the positive impact it continues to have for to local people.
Hive Minds: Causes and solutions for youth violence
17 October 2024
5:00pm – 6:00pm
Young people from the Peer Action Collection (PAC) share initial key findings from their peer research projects addressing youth violence across England and Wales.
'You can have an open, honest conversation'
Peer researchers in the East Midlands town of Corby reflect on the value and impact of their work, in a film created as part of the European Uplift Youth programme.
Working with The Young Foundation’s Peer Research Network was easy from beginning to end. They took the lead in selecting, training and supporting peer researchers. We had strong communication throughout and the final report will be a key part of our strategy. They balanced maintaining the independence of the research while also incorporating our feedback judiciously. We recommend The Young Foundation to carry out peer research.”
The Community Land Trust Network