Abstract
Peer-led approaches have been central to the British Council’s English and Digital for Girls’ Education (EDGE) programme, which has reached over 20000 adolescent girls across South and Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
This British Council report investigates the effectiveness of Peer-led learning (PLL) approaches, drawing on evidence from global literature and flagship programmes such as English and Digital for Girls’ Education (EDGE) and English Skills for Youth (ESY). These initiatives have reached thousands of adolescents across South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and India, promoting English language proficiency, digital literacy, and life skills. An external impact evaluation of EDGE (Mir et al., 2025) found that participation of young people in EDGE peer-led learning activities has contributed to improved life skills (for example, nutrition and sexual health knowledge), confidence and aspirations for higher education, but that broader sociocultural and economic conditions, and opportunities to pursue learning and skills beyond the programme were challenges to sustained impact.
PLL leverages the power of social influence during adolescence, a critical developmental stage, by training peer group leaders to facilitate structured learning sessions within their age cohort. Unlike traditional teacher-led models, PLL fosters safe, inclusive spaces for collaborative learning, confidence-building, and agency – effective both as a standalone intervention and as a complement to formal classroom teaching.
The review identifies key enablers for success, including parental and community engagement, flexible and context-specific curricula, sustained mentoring, and safeguarding measures. Challenges such as unrealistic expectations of peer leaders, reverting to traditional teaching styles, and retention issues underscore the need for robust support structures. Recommendations include developing toolkits, clear frameworks, and inclusive strategies to expand PLL’s reach to marginalised groups, including boys and youth with disabilities.
As global education systems seek innovative solutions to address inequality and empower young people, PLL emerges as a scalable, impactful approach. By fostering peer-to-peer collaboration and participatory learning, PLL not only enhances academic outcomes but also drives social change, equipping girls and youth with the skills and confidence to thrive in education, employment, and life.
This rapid review aims to summarise and contextualise the design, activities and learning from EDGE – and other British Council peer education activities – within a broader set of literature and evidence on peer-led learning, to better understand and identify key features of the approach as well as to strengthen, and potentially expand, relevant programming.
Citation
Kirby, P., & Wetheridge, L. (2025). Investigating peer-led learning approaches for girls and young people. British Council. https://doi.org/10.57884/3YEC-7Z48