Peter Cousins grew up in Cornwall, UK, and went on to study German and Spanish language and literature at undergraduate level. Following graduation, he worked in inner-city Glasgow with asylum seekers, in Cambridge with homeless people and for local government in Cornwall.

These experiences sowed the seeds of an increasing interest in peace work, and in 2007 Peter returned to studies, apparently Mastering the Art of Conflict Resolution at Bradford University. Joining the FOR team in Colombia in January 2009 enabled him to combine his love of the Spanish-speaking work and his commitment to conflict and peace issues.