A children’s charity has created a permanent youth role in response to a government-commissioned report into young people and work which warns of “a lost generation”.
Yesterday, Wonderseekers announced that it was looking for a part-time visitor operations assistant to join its team at the Winchester Science Centre, “designed to give a young person aged 16 to 24 a first step into work”.
The 16-hour per week role offers a salary of £9,030 for those aged 18-20 or £10,575 for applicants over 21.
Inspired by the findings of former health secretary Alan Milburn’s report, Wonderseekers said the role offers hands-on experience across admissions, retail, hospitality and events.
The charity said it deliberately made the role accessible, with no CV, long application form or previous experience required.
Published last week, the Milburn report says that nearly one million people aged 16-24 in the UK are not in education, employment or training, with six in 10 of these having never had a job – up from four in 10 in 2005.
Other organisations urged to act
Grant Brisland, chief operating officer at Wonderseekers, said: “When the executive team started discussing the Milburn report on Friday morning, my instinct was to ask: ‘What can we do?’.
“Because when you have the privilege of leadership and the ability to impact change, I believe you owe it to the next generation to create opportunities.
“I’m from a traditional working-class background – my dad was a milkman, and my mum was a waitress. If I hadn’t been given the opportunity to work at 16, I don’t know where my life or career would have gone.”
Chief executive Ben Ward said: “The Milburn report sets out the stark realities and barriers facing too many young people today.
“We wanted to respond with action, not words. By creating this permanent part-time role, we’re offering one young person a genuine first step into employment.
“We call on other organisations to ask themselves the simple question: what can we do?”
Wonderseekers employed 88 people on average in the year to March 2025 and recorded an income of £3.68m.
