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
22 May 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
Our thinking and reports
Kickstart reports – sprint three
Publication 18 February 2022This report explores young people’s experiences of racism on social media, developed and devised by a group of young Kickstart peer research recruits.
Peer research in the UK
Publication 23 October 2020This report provides a comprehensive introduction to peer research methodology and advocates for its value as a legitimate and insightful approach.
Kickstart reports – sprint two
Publication 20 January 2022A report designed and created by young people on the Kickstart scheme, exploring experiences of financial literacy.
Kickstart reports – sprint one
Publication 26 November 2021Reports designed and created by young people on the Kickstart scheme, exploring experiences of employment among LGBTQ+ young people, and those with ADHD.
Fatphobia Kickstart report
Publication 15 May 2022A report exploring young people’s experiences of fatphobia, developed and devised by a group of young Kickstart peer research recruits.
Amplify Youth: putting young people at the heart of social change
Publication 22 January 2021Amplify Youth was a programme funded by Credit Suisse and delivered by The Young Foundation. We worked with young people aged 16-25 in challenging areas of East London, Dublin and Belfast. Our aim was to tackle the structural inequality experienced
Positioning peer research in a policy context
Publication 23 November 2020Using urban and youth policy case studies, this report focuses on peer research and co-production through citizen engagement.