All About Toastmasters
Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organisation that offers a proven education program that helps improve communication and build leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. The organisations membership exceeds 280,000 in more than 14,700 clubs in 144 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people of all backgrounds build confidence as speakers and leaders.
What’s in it for you?
Improved communication
Toastmasters will give you the skills and confidence you need to effectively express yourself in any situation. Whether you are a mature manager, student, young professional, career advancer or looking to make an impact in your community, Toastmasters is the most efficient, supportive, enjoyable and affordable way of gaining great communication skills. You’ll improve your interpersonal communication and be more persuasive and confident when giving speeches.
Build leadership skills
While some are born confident, charismatic leaders, others must work to develop their leadership skills. Through Toastmasters, you’ll gain the practice to become the leader and speaker you want to be. You will also sharpen your management skills, become a better negotiator, gain trust and inspire your team. Learn to be decisive!
How Toastmasters works
At Toastmasters, members learn by speaking to groups and working with others in a supportive environment. East Galway Speakers meet every second and fourth Monday from 8pm to 10pm.
Each meeting gives members several opportunities:
Conduct meetings – Members learn how to plan and conduct meetings.
Give impromptu speeches – Members present one- to two-minute, impromptu speeches about assigned topics.
Present prepared speeches – Members present speeches based on projects from the Pathways learning experience— Toastmasters’ education program. Projects cover topics such as speech organisation, vocal variety, language, gestures and persuasion.
Offer constructive evaluation – Every speaker is assigned an evaluator who points out speech strengths and offers suggestions for improvement.
Pathways Learning Experience – Pathways is Toastmasters’ exciting, interactive and flexible education program. With many paths to choose from (and more in development), you have the option to pick which skills you want to focus on.
What is the Pathways learning experience?
Pathways is Toastmasters’ exciting, interactive and flexible education program.
It focuses on five core competencies: Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communication, Strategic Leadership, Management and Confidence. With 11 paths to choose from, you have the option to pick which skills you want to focus on.
How does Pathways work?
Sign in to Pathways and take the online assessment, which will suggest a learning path based on your goals. As a Toastmasters member, you will receive one free path when you join. Progress through your path by completing projects, giving presentations at club meetings, and implementing feedback, all done at your own pace. Each path has five levels and you’ll start by mastering fundamentals before working your way up to demonstrating your expertise. Best of all, Pathways is available online and is translated into many other languages!
What makes a leader?
Effective leaders empower others to accomplish personal goals and contribute to the successful completion of group objectives. Leaders act as role models for others to emulate. They provide guidance and feedback throughout the course of assigned projects and often help others improve their skills. Great leaders inspire others to follow them.
What’s in it for you?
While some are born confident, charismatic leaders, others must work to develop their leadership skills. Through Toastmasters, you’ll gain the practice to become the leader and speaker you want to be.
You will also sharpen your management skills, become a better negotiator, gain trust and inspire your team. Learn to be decisive!
The benefits of Toastmasters Membership
- Improve your public speaking skills
- Gain self-confidence and self-awareness
- Practice writing speeches and presenting in a group setting
- Gain a competitive advantage in the workplace
- Enjoy unlimited personal growth
- Maximise your potential Build leadership skills
- Work on networking in a small and supportive environment
- Receive regular and constructive feedback from peers with similar interests as you
- Access to the Pathways learning experience, which is an education program that allows you to leverage over 300 practical workplace skills, including:
- Interview preparation
- Online meeting management
- Leadership development
- Project management
- Conflict resolution