How to Start a New Club
Chartering a New Toastmasters Club - Recruiter's Guide
|
Background
|
|
Toastmasters International is the leading movement devoted to training men and women in communication and leadership skills. There are over 200,000 Toastmasters members and more than 12,000 clubs in 70 countries.
|
|
Benefits of a Toastmasters Club
|
When working as a club recruiter, always emphasize the benefits that a Toastmasters club would have to the organization, whether it is a business or community group. There are many benefits in having a Toastmasters club including:
- Members increase their self-confidence and become able to participate more effectively in the organization
- A Toastmasters club provides an ongoing training program
- As members increase their public speaking skills, they become better spokespersons for the organization
- Club members learn how to organize activities and conduct meetings
- Members improve their leadership skills and are more likely to seek leadership roles in the organization
- Members learn at their own pace
- By learning effective evaluation techniques, members enhance their human relations skills
- As members work together to improve one another's skills, they develop their team player skills
- A Toastmasters club provides low-cost, high-quality training. Clubs are inexpensive since they are self-sustaining
- The organization has something to offer prospective members
|
Chartering a New Toastmasters Club - Recruiter's Step-by-Step Guide
A twelve-step guide on how to charter a new club:
- Obtain a new club Information Kit from Toastmasters International for your own reference. The`kit contains all documents and forms you need to start a club.
- Make a list of sites for prospective new clubs such as: large companies, non-profit organizations, churches, community centers. Select one.
- Contact the decision maker in the organization (e.g. company, church, community center) and create in him/her an interest in the Toastmasters program.
- Working with your district leadership team, set up a meeting date/time for the decision maker, you, and the area and division governor.
- At the meeting, sell the decision maker on the benefits of having a Toastmasters club. Emphasize effectiveness and low cost. Provide the 12-minute video "Everybody is Talking About Toastmasters" and some brochures. Determine the level of interest. Strive for thirty potential club members. You will need at least twenty members to charter the club, seventeen of which must be new to Toastmasters. Are prospective members willing to meet weekly or at least twice monthly? Explain the format of meetings: prepared speeches, evaluations, impromptu speaking, structured meetings, club officers.
- Discuss financial requirements: $125 club charter fee, $20 new member fee, $27 Toastmasters International dues every six months, plus any club fees.
- Set up a demonstration meeting that the decision maker will chair and that Toastmasters will conduct. Conduct the demo meeting. Decision maker should ask attendees to sign list if they want to be club members. Based on interest and advice of experienced Toastmasters, decision maker will determine whether to proceed.
- Assist club in completing form "Application To Organize A Toastmasters Club." Obtain the $125 Charter Fee from the decision maker. Obtain District Governor signature. Mail form and fee to Toastmasters International.
- Convene a club organizational meeting. Elect temporary officers. Complete club by-laws. After club receives the start-up package from Toastmasters International, distribute new member package to those who pay dues: $20 new member fee plus $27 Toastmasters International dues (for a total of $47 per member), plus whatever the club collects as fees.
- Adopt club constitution and by-laws at a regular club meeting.
- Once twenty members have paid, help club officers fill out charter paperwork: Forms A through E. Coordinate submission with district representative.
- Help club officers arrange a charter presentation club meeting. Schedule one of the District Trio to attend and present the charter.
Courtesy of Al Voorhees, DTM, District 22
|
