The author reports on homeless people in London who have conducted the largest ever research study of the barriers to employment and employability faced by the homeless. A group of eight "peer researchers"--all with a background of homelessness, all current volunteers at Groundswell UK, an organisation which promotes self-help initiatives with people who are homeless--was recruited by Off the Streets and into Work (OSW) to carry out the research. This ambitious project maps the obstacles faced by homeless people in gaining employment. According to Peter Singh, Senior Manager of Research at OSW, the peer research group was essential in getting subjects to open up, in adequately relating to them. The eight peer researchers were given training to bring them up to a "base level" of competence as researchers. One of the findings of the OSW project was that homeless people were much more likely to use their own informal personal networks in accessing employment and other services, and far less likely to use job centres and newspapers. The research found that people who had multiple barriers were less likely to work. More positively, the study found that volunteering, part-time work, work experience and further training were clearly seen as very important steps in moving on to employment.