Senior Guide Leader Luisa McDiarmid receives Asia Pacific Leadership Award

Cut to 35 years later and Ms McDiarmid, now Bathurst Senior Guide Leader, has been awarded the Asia Pacific Leadership Award for troop or unit leaders.

The award is presented to leaders who stand out as a role model and have acquired a high level of self-development to provide quality girl guiding to young women in their troop or unit.

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Ms McDiarmid said she's quite humbled to be a recipient of such an honour.

"You don't volunteer in a community with the expectation you'll be rewarded, but this award is a small acknowledgement of my role in a bigger picture," she said.

"It's not just about me, but also those who have supported, mentored and helped me realise the importance of volunteering and citizenship."

Ms McDiarmid said the all-girl aspect of Guides has always provided a safe place for girls to be girls.

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"Guides is an important avenue for girls to learn how to be comfortable and confident in their own skin," she said.

"Once you reach a certain level within Guides, its not only volunteering in your own community, but understanding the global community and what it should look like for women."

"Since 2000, we've been heavily involved in the United Nations' Millenium Development Goals, teaching girls about sustainable roles for women, with a major focus on advocacy."

Ms McDiarmid said the global reach of Girl Guides has allowed her to forge connections all over the world.

"Through Guides, I've met people in some of the world's most war-torn countries [such as Lebanon and Syria], who have their own Guides and Scouts presence," she said.

"There might be differences in language and culture, but the values of guiding stay the same no matter where you go."

Ms McDiarmid, who is also a high school teacher through Aurora College [the NSW Department of Education's virtual school], is driven by a desire to steer teenagers in a positive direction.

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"A lot of people find it really daunting working with teenagers, but I love the challenge, it keeps us young," she said.

"Through school and Guides, I get the best of both worlds; at school, you place your own stamp on teaching within the syllabus but in Guides, you're playing the role of a facilitator to help girls knock down boundaries and forge their own paths in life."

"Self-expression and social acceptance differs from generation to generation and as a teacher and facilitator, it's important to nurture the goals and ambitions of each child you teach."

As a senior guide leader, Ms McDiarmid said seeing girls under her wing go on to achieve outstanding success with their personal development.

"We've just had one of our former members [Sarah Howes] achieve her Queen's Guide Award, which takes four to five years to work towards," she said.

"The goals we encourage girls to set aren't about instant gratification or 'likes' on social media, it's about learning vital life skills to take anywhere with you in live, as well as overcoming personal challenges to achieve a strong sense of fulfillment."

Ms McDiarmid's award was kept a closely guarded secret, as she received the award in a surprise gesture from Bathurst's Senior Guides and other regional Guide leaders at a meeting to watch the Girl Guides NSW, ACT and NT Youth Award Presentations online.

Her family, including father Kevin, mother Carole, and children Oscar, Lachlan, Amelia and Will, were also in tow to witness the occasion, which took place at the Bathurst Guide Hall.