Table 2 Local people and local conversations peer research process

1. Peer researchers identified – Peer researchers recruited by the VCS organisation supporting the programmes. Peer researchers were offered compensation for their contribution in the form of high-street vouchers.

2. Peer researcher training workshop – Peer researchers attended training facilitated by an evaluation team member. Potential research topics, specific research questions/aims, and methodology were discussed and agreed. Peer researchers were advised how to conduct research in an ethical and safe way. Training was planned to last two days but was very often condensed into less than one day to suit peer researchers’ availability.

3. Preparation – The supporting evaluation team member prepared necessary data collection materials (e.g. survey/questionnaire, consent forms) and distributed to peer researchers to use.

4. Data collection – Between four and six weeks was allowed for peer researchers to collect data.

5. Data analysis workshop – A second workshop for peer researchers and supporting evaluation team members to collaboratively analyse the data collected – discussing emergent findings and identifying and agreeing key themes. For quantitative data, some preliminary analysis (e.g. descriptive statistics) was done prior to the workshop by the supporting evaluation team member for the peer researchers to discuss.

6. Report writing – A peer research report was drafted by the supporting evaluation team member and shared with peer researchers for comments/feedback. Amendments were made, and the report signed off by peer researchers.

7. Dissemination and integration into wider evaluation – Peer research sites were given a copy of their report. Reports included in the overall evaluation as a secondary data source.