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It was my understanding that volunteering as a get out for paying people the national minimum wage only applies to charities on not-for-profit organisations. If you are a volunteer, you have no obligation to turn up and do the work - I'm not convinced that this would apply should you agree to take part in this series. 

Nicely summarised in this Guardian piece recently http://www.theguardian.com/careers/careers-blog/legal-overview-internships :

There are some exceptions to the right to be paid. If you "volunteer", then you do not have to perform work or provide services and therefore you are not covered by the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 regardless of what industry you are in. If you are a "voluntary worker" specifically working for charity, voluntary organisation or fund raising body, then you can work without profit for such good causes. This is recognised in the National Minimum Wage Act. 

As for the age/diversity issue, surely a simple way to maximise chances of finding diverse group of intelligent and engaging contributors would be to offer them remuneration.  

Cat



On 31 May 2015 at 18:02, Michael Kenward <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

I’m with Craig on the age thing. It is tedious seeing so many middle-aged white men doing all the explaining.

 

If the BBC has, thanks to the likes of Lenny Henry, a programme to add more diversity to its people count, as was very well explained in that fine fly on the wall documentary W1A, then I doubt if there are any legal problems.

 

In this case the mistake may be in stating it explicitly. I’d have thought that you leave it to the weeding out stage before applying your quotas. As it is, the volunteers are probably going to be middle class with deep-pocketed parents.

 

Then again the 25-40 age suggests people already I work. So, the thing is puzzling all round.

 

MK

 

 

 

 

From: psci-com: on public engagement with science [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Craig McInnes
Sent: 31 May 2015 15:59
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Volunteer opportunity: New TV science series for PBS/ National Geographic

 

This may sound controversial; perhaps this is more of a demographic issue. Sci comm aimed at a younger audience may be more relatable when presented by a younger demonstrator. If the production is taking a "tick certain boxes" approach to this then they certainly have the older-expert area covered with prof. Hawking and perhaps they're looking to bring in a younger presenter/demonstrator to add balance (purely a thought). I'm not saying what they are doing is right (I believe it's perhaps a little short-sighted) but I thought I'd chip in my tuppence-worth before the rage-train leaves this particular station...

 

Craig

Sent from my iPhone


On 31 May 2015, at 15:15, Francis Sedgemore <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Remuneration or the lack of aside, I note the ageism in this call for ladies and gentlemen of leisure with an interest in dabbling in broadcast media. An ageism which is probably not illegal given that we are talking of volunteers rather than paid positions. 

 

"Ideal volunteers should be 25-40"

 

For that one should perhaps read – firm of arse and breast (gender immaterial).

 

FS

 

On 31 May 15, at 10:36, Michael Kenward <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

 

I’m sorry to rain on this parade but:

 

“The position is unpaid but all expenses will be covered.”

 

I find this especially puzzling in something that has links with St Stephen. I assume that the producers, writers, camera operators and so on are also working for expenses.

 

MK


-- 

Dr Francis Sedgemore

journalist, writer and recovering physicist

telephone: +44 7840 191336

website: sedgemore.com

twitter: @hesgen

 

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