Enhancing benefits for peer researchers : towards a flexible and needs-based approach to participatory research

The involvement of peer researchers has recently gained popularity insocial research, and the incentives for using participatory methodologiesare well recognised. However, as we argue, the sole presence of peerresearchers does not equate to their immediate empowerment, and moreattention should be given to the roles they play in the research and theways in which they can tangibly benefit from such collaborations. Weexplore the seemingly mundane aspects of work such as recruitment,training, conducting research, dissemination and the afterlife of the pro-ject, to suggest that meaningful engagement of peer researchersdemands a tailored approach that is receptive to their particular needsand motivations, and is supportive of their individual growth. Our criticalreflection stems from a two-year-long collaboration with peer researchersin Poland undertaken as part of a Horizon 2020 project, which exploredthe lives of young migrants and refugees in Europe.