F.A.Q. for Non-Toastmasters

What venue is used to teach others what Toastmasters teaches?
Clubs. Thousands of clubs exist around the world. People join Toastmasters by becoming a member of a club. Clubs run themselves. Clubs have from 10 to 50 members. Twenty members is the optimal minimum number of members in a club.

Do I have to join Toastmasters to attend meetings?
No. You can be a guest of any Toastmaster club as often as you wish. You can visit several club meetings as a guest. In fact, it is suggested that you visit at least three different clubs before deciding which one you want to join since each club has its own personality.

How do I find when and where clubs meet?
Go to http://www.toastmasters.org/find/default.asp. Beyond the when and where a club meetings it also gives meeting frequency and contact information.

How much does Toastmasters cost?
Membership dues are $27 every six months. They are pro-rated starting April 1 and October 1. Additionally, individual clubs are allowed to set, via their by-laws, additional dues. These additional dues cover such expenses as meeting supplies, fees for district events and paying for a meeting room. This amount normally runs up to $2.00 per month.

Can I be in more than one club at the same time?
Yes. Many Toastmasters belong to two clubs. Several belong to three clubs. Some really ambitious learners belong to four and even five clubs.

What happens in Toastmasters club meetings?
Members serve, on a rotating basis, in over a dozen meeting roles. Some of the roles include speakers given a prepared speech. Someone is assigned to evaluate a prepared speech. See here for more information about meeting roles.

Are any books involved with the Toastmasters training?
Several manuals are used within Toastmasters. The manuals contain speeches on a specific topic. Each manual contain projects that teach one particular skill. They have a page that the speech evaluator uses to evaluate the speech for each project.

Who runs a Toastmasters club?
The members vote on their by-laws. They also vote in a set (normally seven) of club officers. The club officers bring items of seeming interest to the club members for consideration. The club officers attend training twice each year to learn to better perform their duties.

Does anyone help the new people?
An experienced club member is assigned as a mentor to a new member. This mentor will guide the new member through the first three speeches along with acclimate the new member to the club and to Toastmasters.

How often do I have to speak?
All training in Toastmasters is self-guided. You can give prepared speeches at your own pace. Some members want to speak at every other meeting. Other members speak once every few months. The club officer in charge of the meeting schedule may ask some members to speak less frequently in order to allow others to have the two to five spots for prepared speeches at each meeting.

How do I get assigned for meeting roles?
A club officer called Vice President Education maintains the meeting schedule. That officer should be scheduling at least the next three meetings.

How do I join?
First, you decide which club(s) you want to join. Next, you fill out a membership allication form (click here to get one). Third, give the application form and your payment to the club Treasurer.

How can I find out more information?
There is much more to Toastmasters than what is explained here. For a good start, visit Toastmasters International at their website.