The Peers Examining Experiences in Research (PEERS) Study

Peer researchers are individuals who are hired to work on research projects because of their lived experiences with the topic being studied. In order to contribute to more meaningful inclusion of communities on topics they have experience with, it is often recommended to hire peer researchers for community-based and participatory research projects. However, little research has examined how peer researchers experience their involvement in these research projects, in order to determine whether or how they were meaningfully included.

Peers Examining Experiences in Research Study (PEERS) was a qualitative, participatory project to address this question. In partnership with people who have worked as peer researchers, we examined how peers experienced their involvement in research with four intersectional communities:

• consumer/survivor/mad communities
• communities of people who use drugs
• trans and non-binary communities
• racialized communities

We hope to use our findings to make recommendations for participatory research in general, as well as research with these four communities specifically, to maximize the meaningful inclusion of peer researchers.

Team Members:

• Lori Ross Principal Investigator (Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto)
• Adrian Guta, Co-Investigator (School of Social Work, University of Windsor)
• Florence Heung, Research Assistant, 2017-2018 (Dalla Lana School of Public Health)
• Carole King, Research Assistant (Dalla Lana School of Public Health)
• Kinnon MacKinnon, Co-Investigator (School of Social Work, York University)
• Arlette Martinez, Research Assistant (Dalla Lana School of Public Health)
• Elizabeth McLean, Research Assistant (Dalla Lana School of Public Health)
• Chandrashri Pal, Research Assistant (Dalla Lana School of Public Health)
• Merrick Pilling, Postdoctoral Fellow (now in the Department of Women and Gender Studies, University of Windsor)
• Kendra-Ann Pitt, Co-Investigator (School of Social Work, York University)
• Yogendra Shakya, Co-Investigator (Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services
• Carol Strike, Co-Investigator (Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto)
• Jijian Voronka, Co-Investigator (School of Social Work, University of Windsor)
• Charmaine Williams, Co-Investigator (Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto)

Main Contact:

Lori Ross (l.ross@utoronto.ca)

Funding:

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Insight Grants Program

Project Outcomes:

• Read our Principles of Collaboration.
• Read our paper about issues related to compensation in peer research.
• Read our recommendations for principal investigators and employers.
• Stay tuned for more project outcomes – coming soon!