Eye-opening experiences for girls in working towards Guiding award

Importantly, they say, the experience has opened their eyes to how they could be better active community members.

Five members from the 11^th Ballarat Guides have earned BP honours - leaders said this was a rare feat to have such a number of girls in the group reach the achievement at the same time.

Maggie Browning, Amy Chester, Kaitlyn Pollock, Alicia Pollock and Gracie Sherman are now considering how they can take what they have learned and draw on this in the future.

For Alicia, organising sausage sizzles and sorting toys for Ballarat Toy Library was a great lesson in community awareness.

"It's important to help people who might not have everything...It was really fun doing things to help people," Alicia said. "It feels really good (to earn the BP award), it's something big to achieve."

A key part of Alicia's service component was organising a statue hunt for girls in Ballarat, focusing on war history, as a tribute to the Returned and Services League.

Challenges also involved the girls standing to attention in important ceremonies and helping others, like the RSL to sell badges and biscuits.

Sometimes the challenge was in helping others to face their fears.

Kaitlyn ran an abseiling session for guides. This also demanded an attention to detail for health and safety.

"(The award) give you experience on things you might not be able to normally experience - I was took on some leadership roles," Kaitlyn said.

Amy, who learned how to ride a unicycle, quickly realised leadership and service needed adaptability. She looked after a mini-poodle whose two week visit unexpectedly became a six-month stay to help the owner and the dog out.

Maggie is now set to transfer her leadership and adventure skills to karate class. Gracie has become a keen yachtie after a summer sailing program with Guides on Lake Wendouree.

Maggie said the achievement involved a lot of activities outside the usual Wednesday night sessions but she was confident the work for the award would help all the girls ahead of their senior years at high school.

Maggie, Amy, Kaitlyn, Alicia and Gracie were part of a special ceremony in Melbourne to recognise their honour earlier this month.

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