With the manual we are launching today, we are going through the benefits and challenges of setting up a peer research group, and how to do it safely and constructively. The full manual can be found here.
Over two years, we have tested, debated and refined the contents of this manual, in collaboration with 19 peers from four different peer research projects. These include Southampton University and RISE, as well as two groups working with Justlife.
The peer researchers taking part represent a diverse range of intersecting experiences and identities, including neurodiversity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender identity and disability, ensuring a broad perspective on the challenges faced by individuals and organisations embarking on peer research.
Background
The idea for this project stems from Justlife research on Hidden Homelessness, which uncovered deep-rooted systemic injustices in the homelessness sector and the intersectional nature of homelessness. It also highlighted the urgent need to bridge the gap between decision-makers and those directly affected by homelessness, ensuring all voices are heard and valued.
Peer research is a wonderful tool that can uncover otherwise under-reported aspects of a topic, give substance to already known issues and build peers’ skills and confidence. It is a process where peers and facilitators collaborate on an equal footing, each bringing their skills, insights and experiences to the process. It has been a fun and enriching couple of years, and sometimes a steep learning curve.
The first Peer Research group was set up in March 2023, and their work resulted in a pilot manual, describing the process they had been through and what we all learnt from the process. While this was an excellent piece of work, we wondered if this could become more widely relevant by testing it with three additional groups.
We have since found great interest in our work from peers, charities, academics and local authorities. It would seem that many, across different sectors, are grappling with how to involve peers in research to improve services and gain deeper insights, in a way that goes beyond box-ticking.
An earlier version of the manual we are launching today has been used to help set up lived experience and peer research groups across a range of communities, including migrants, domestic abuse survivors, individuals affected by gambling harms, the criminal justice system, LGBTQ+ communities, homelessness and recovery, and survivors of trauma, torture, and trafficking. Geographically, it has reached England, Wales, Scotland, Poland, Spain and the Netherlands.
The Manual
During the testing phase, many organisations and peer research groups expressed a need for additional training resources. To address this, the pilot manual was expanded to include additional structured learning modules that are adaptable for both facilitators and peer researchers. You can find the full manual here.
Another key discussion point has been the need for a shared understanding of important terms. This resulted in a glossary that was co-produced by all four peer research groups at a Knowledge Exchange event, ensuring that the language is clear, accessible and inclusive. Other areas, including trauma-informed practices, data analysis, ethics and intersectionality, have also been strengthened, and some of the tasks and modules have been adjusted to take this feedback onboard.
The current manual is structured into three sections that cover research learning, as well as practical and ethical considerations of setting up a peer research group:
Setting Up a Peer Research Group – Covering essential steps such as accessibility, lived experience payments, ethics, safety, and support.
Workbook of Peer Research Sessions – A practical guide to peer research sessions, ensuring a structured and comprehensive approach.
Our Stories – A collection of unique experiences from each group involved, offering real-world insights into peer research.
This allows you to choose whether you want to read the whole thing, or choose the bits that are most relevant to you. You may be interested in peer research without actually being in the process of setting up a group, in which case you can probably give the workbook a miss.
Our Thanks
By publishing this manual, we hope that many more peers will get the chance to be meaningfully involved in research affecting their lives, across sectors, concerns and geographies. When done well, peer research can enrich us all.
We want to thank everyone who has given their time, skills and expertise to this process. It has been an inspiring journey, and everyone has contributed with patience and respect, while always returning to the basics; that the process must be inclusive, safe, ethical and meaningful.
This manual is not only a practical tool but a testament to the power of collaboration. We hope it continues to inspire and support organisations and peers in how to embed peer-led research into their work.
You can read about the pilot group’s reflections on the process here, and research findings from the second group of peer researchers here.
