About District 215 Toastmasters

Toastmasters is an international non-profit community organization providing leadership and communication training through thousands of local clubs and their members. It is a safe place to learn and practice your skills in a nurturing, supportive environment, resulting in greater confidence. Toastmasters clubs may meet on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis. The meetings are designed to give most participants the opportunity to speak, with various roles in the meeting in addition to prepared and impromptu speaking.

The only way to improve anything is through practice. The meeting is designed to give everyone an opportunity to speak at each meeting in some way. Those who do not have an official prepared speech still speak by providing updates, reports, and evaluations, as well as impromptu speaking opportunities. Practicing in this way gives you the confidence to speak and hone your skills. Improvement is dramatic with consistent effort.

Participating in a club gives you the opportunity to serve as a club officer, or at a higher organizational level, to practice your leadership skills. Communication and interaction with others is one of the fundamental skills of leadership. Leadership is influence, and does not require any particular position. How you interact with fellow Toastmasters helps you identify your leadership style and develop your leadership skills.

Each meeting has one or more prepared speeches, along with an evaluator for each speech. The speech framework is the Pathways learning system, and each project concentrates on a particular aspect of speaking. The topic of your speech is up to you. Prepared speeches typically last from 5 to 7 minutes. Impromptu speaking, known as Table Topics, is a speech of 1 to 2 minutes on a topic given by the Table Topics Master. Guests may be invited to participate, and they do not have to speak if they do not want to.

Toastmasters has two types of clubs: community (open) clubs and corporate (closed) clubs. A closed club is typically available only to people who work at that organization, though some company clubs are open to all. Guests are welcome to visit a meeting. Some clubs, because of location or security policies, require advance notice. When you are ready to visit, find a club through Find a Club.

District 215 publishes these figures: new members pay a one-time fee of $20 for registration and the learning path. Dues can be paid semi-annually ($60) in March and September, annually ($120), or as a prorated amount depending on the time of enrollment. Some clubs may charge an additional fee to cover supplies.

The members make the experience valuable and fun, and the skills are used in careers and business. Members commit to continuous learning, help each other improve, and develop lasting friendships. Members can compete in speech contests, network, practice a second language in online meetings, and attend educational trainings and conferences.

Members pay dues in the March and September timeframe. If dues are not paid within two months, the member is removed from the club roster. If a club does not have a minimum of eight members in good standing, the club is no longer in good standing and is given six months to become reinstated.

Meeting roles vary by club. The Toastmaster is the emcee and leader of the meeting. Toastmasters International publishes the full set of club meeting roles. View club meeting roles.

Club officer duties are described on the District 215 club officer page. Club officer roles and resources.