What is Toastmasters?

Whether you’re a professional, student, stay-at-home parent or retiree, Toastmasters is the best way to improve your communication skills.

Toastmasters can help you lose the fear of public speaking and learn the skills that will help you be more successful in whatever path in life you’ve chosen. By becoming a member of Toastmasters you’ll be a better communicatorand listener. You’ll learn to easily lead teams and conduct meetings.

You’ll be more confident in presenting in front of others. You’ll comfortably give and receive constructive evaluations. If you already have some or all of these skills, you will enhance them in Toastmasters!

How does Toastmasters Work?

At Toastmasters, members learn by practicing their skills in a supportive environment. A typical Toastmasters club is made up of 20 to 30 people who meet regularly: weekly, fortnightly or monthly depending on the individual club. Each meeting provides everyone with an opportunity to practice their communication skills, whether it is:

  • Giving impromptu speeches.

Members can present an impromptu speech on an assigned topic.

  • Presenting prepared speeches.

Three or more members present speeches based on projects from the numerous manuals in Toastmasters’ proven communication and/or leadership program. Projects cover topics such as speech organisation, vocal variety, language, gestures and persuasion and many other self-development programs.

  • Offering constructive evaluation.

Every speaker is assigned an evaluator who evaluates speech strengths and offers suggestions for improvement.

  • Conducting meetings.

Members learn how to plan and conduct meetings.

What Tools are available for use?

Upon joining a Toastmasters club each new member receives a variety of manuals and resources on how to become a better speaker and a more confident leader. Members also have access to other books and educational resources. They receive the award-winning Toastmaster magazine which offers the latest insights on speaking and leadership techniques. In addition each member is provided a mentor to help them to develop the skills they feel they need.

How can Toastmasters help your Leadership skills?

Leadership cannot be learned in a day. It takes practice. In Toastmasters, members learn leadership skills by organising and conducting meetings and by completing projects in the leadership manuals. Projects address such skills as listening, planning, motivation and team building and give members the opportunity to practice them in a supportive environment.

Just as Toastmasters members learn to speak by speaking, they learn leadership by leading.

How can Toastmasters help your career?

Employees face an endless exchange of ideas, messages and information as they deal with one another and with customers day after day. Toastmasters provides the tools that enable employees to become effective presenters and leaders – all at a minimal cost.

Toastmasters training helps employees:

  • Give better sales presentations
  • Hone their management skills
  • Work better with fellow employees
  • Effectively develop and present ideas
  • Offer constructive criticism
  • Accept critique more objectively

How can Toastmasters help you in the Community?

Toastmasters has helped develop more than Four Million of its members in their life and community-service activities. Using the skills developed in Toastmasters, people have become more active in business, churches, service and charity organisations.

Toastmasters are trained to organise activities, conduct meetings and speak in public as their organisation’s representative. Some even become active in local, state or national government.

Toastmasters produces results!

Around the world more than four million men and women of all ages and occupations have benefited from Toastmasters training. Thousands of corporations, community groups, universities, associations and government agencies now use Toastmasters training.

Want to check us out and see whether our club fits your needs?

We meet on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Wednesday of every month at the Community Centre, Lawson Street, Southport. 

We would love to see you at our meeting.

How much does it cost to join?

$100 - This cost includes a one off $35 lifetime membership fee, $15 badge fee and $50 semi-annual membership fee. Toastmasters is a not-for-profit organisation, so all monies go towards member resources and services. Any funds left are given back to the members at the end of the year!

Become the Speaker and Leader You Want to Be!

Contact Us to come along as our guest to your first meeting.

Show your support for Southport Toastmasters, please feel free to share this page, or visit our group on Facebook.