Jen’s global acknowledgement
Bridport’s Jen Barron has received the highest honour of a Medal of Service from the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
January 15, 2025
More than 35 years after first visiting India for an educational leadership program, Bridport’s Jen Barron returned to the subcontinent late last year to receive the highest honour from the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
Having been a Girl Guide since she was seven, and working for the organisation since 2010, Jen said it was an honour to receive a Staff Medal of Service, presented for her distinguished service at national and global level.
“They rang from Cyprus where the World Conference was taking place and I melted down onto the floor in the kitchen when I found out – I was shocked,” she said.
“It was a wonderful acknowledgement of a lifetime of service to an organisation I am passionate about and has meant so much to me. It was very special to be noticed.”
Jen travelled to the WAGGGS International Training Centre in Pune, India, to receive the medal in October 2024 and only returned to Tasmania before Christmas.
It was in that Indian city, about four hours from Mumbai, that Jen had worked for the organisation for a decade in roles including program manager and World Centre Manager.
She has worked remotely in a part-time capacity for WAGGGS since 2019 and travels regularly for her work. She delivered a leadership program in Ghana last year and plans to return there for more work focussed on sustainable development goals later this year and will also return to India at some stage in 2025 to assist deliver innovative programs for young women.
India’s a world away from the calm and contentment she finds in the North-East as a relief teacher and Yoga instructor while working remotely for WAGGGS to help develop new programs and activities.
She relishes time spent near the water practising Yoga and paddle boarding, both disciplines she learned while in India.
“When I was doing my Education Degree I went on a Learning for Life scholarship program to India (in 1988) and I now deliver similar programs, so it has been a complete circle for me and that experience changed the trajectory of my life,” she said.
“I had never travelled and had lived a very typical sheltered life growing up in Hobart and on that trip I learned a lot about myself and I ended up going back to volunteer because I think young people being involved in an experience like that can make such a positive difference for their life.”
The WAGGGS award citation praised Jen’s ability to cultivate relationships.
“Through her strong commitment to building meaningful connections between people, she has contributed to building a global sisterhood of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world, committed to supporting the present and future of the Movement,” it said.
“Jen is perhaps best known for her creative thinking, and using people’s talents to create fun, exciting and memorable experiences for people visiting World Centres and attending international events and - of course - for her guitar playing!
“Her creativity, passion and sense of fun have helped WAGGGS provide young women life-changing experiences, and quality volunteering experiences for adults in the Movement.”
WAGGGS is the biggest organisation of girls and young women across the globe, with 10.8 million members in 153 countries.
Bridport’s Jen Barron receiving her WAGGGS Medal of Service in India last year.