Toastmasters International is a world-wide organization dedicated to helping its members improve their public speaking abilities.  At a typical meeting there are some impromptu speeches, some 5-7 minute prepared speeches, followed by encouraging speech evaluations offering suggestions for improvement. 

No matter what your level of speaking ability, Toastmasters has something to offer you!  People who are *terrified* of public speaking have learned to master their fears. 

New members work on speech projects in the "Competent Communicaton" manual.  These include: 

1. The Ice Breaker 
2. Organize Your Speech 
3. Get to the Point 
4. How to Say It 
5. Your Body Speakst 
6. Vocal Variety 
7. Research Your Topic
8. Get Comfortable with Visual Aids
9. Persuade With Power 
10. Inspire Your Audience 

New members also receive the Competent Leadership manual, with projects on:

1. Listening & Leadership
2. Critical Thinking
3. Giving Feedback
4. Time Management
5. Planning & Implementation
6. Organizing & Delegating
7. Developing Your Facilitation Skills
8. Motivating People
9. Mentoring
10. Team Building

After this, there are fourteen advanced manuals to work on, each with five speaking projects... 
 
 

The Entertaining Speaker	Speeches By Management	Storytelling
Speaking To Inform	The Professional Speaker	Interpretive Reading
Public Relations	The Professional Salesperson	Special Occasion Speeches
The Discussion Leader	Technical Presentations	Interpersonal Communications
Specialty Speeches	Communicating on Television	Humorously Speaking

There are advanced Leadership activities as well.

For those interested, there are speech contests between clubs as well. 

 We learn to give speeches by practicing.  This gives the Toastmasters program a distinct edge over seminars where you only get to see others demonstrate good speaking techniques.  Here you get to work out the kinks.  A Toastmaster who had charge of a machine shop employing many men gave a demonstration speech showing how he had instructed a new employee.  He found, through the observations of his evaluators, that he muddled things up through his explanation, rather than making them clear.  After two or three attempts before his club, he was able to report a definite improvement in production from his department simply because he had learned how to give instructions in a more understandable manner. 

 After you've completed the basic projects, you have a solid body of public speaking skills, and receive a "Competent Communicator", or "CC" award.  Many members consider themselves "through" the Toastmasters program and drop out.  But this is just a starting point…Dr. Ralph Smedley, the founder of Toastmasters, wrote, 

"We have found speech training to be a means, or an instrumentality, by which we have made great gains -unforeseen gains-  in our capacity to live and serve. Some of these unexpected gains have proved to be more valuable than the speech ability which was our primary incentive.  Each step we have taken has brought us in sight of other steps which would not have been in our reach without the preliminary work..." 

Speech contests 

The contests are not overly competitive.  Their purpose is to provide an opportunity for speakers to improve their speaking abilities and to recognize the best as encouragement to all and 
to provide an opportunity to learn by observing the more proficient speakers who have benefited from their Toastmasters training.  There is no mention of winners and losers.  Everyone's a winner in Toastmasters.  Attend a speech contest even if you're not a contestant.  They're a lot of fun. 

Leadership 

 Besides training in public speaking, Toastmasters provides leadership training as well.  You can become a club officer, and you can present Success and Leadership programs. 
These give you experience in conducting longer seminars and workshops.  Many club officers gain their first experience with leadership of their lives.  But the officers and clubs are not left to sink or swim.  If a club is in trouble, due to dwindling membership or some other problem, they can ask the Area Governor, Division, or District for help.  More experienced folks help the novices. 

"Personal contacts between those who are prepared to lead and those who need help in leadership are essential." 

 Toastmasters officers are concerned with membership recruiting and retention, public relations, and program planning.  Our club is a laboratory, both for speaking and leadership skills.  We discover techniques that work, and what doesn't work, in an atmosphere of fellowship and support.  Then we share them with others.  Our founder, Dr. Ralph C. Smedley said: 

"Ours is the only organization I know that is dedicated to the individual.  We work together to bring out the best in each of us and then apply our skills to help others." 

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