On my shoot, I pay all the Beaters / Picking Up Teams the same - Ł15 - regardless of age. In addition, they are all get lunch / drinks and access to whatever fieldsport they like, be it fishing on the carp lake, ferreting, air guns or just land to train their dogs.
At a recent work party, ALL the beaters and NONE of the guns turned in. My youngest beater is 13 and is happy to get stuck in with the rest of the team, even in the pouring rain and wind, we never hear a single complaint from him. I encourage them all to be an active part of the shoot, we have no 'them-and-us' between guns and beaters and I wont allow it to start.
It is my intention to involve as many of the team in as many aspects of how and why the shoot works as it has been proven that if they all feel involved, not only do they remain keen, but they also have a better understanding of the countryside. One of my lot is already looking into going to collage to study game management. And that, for me, is better than shooting every bird that comes over my head.