Workshops and events

Reflections from our Program Quality Team

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The Toastmasters calendar has plenty of fixed points that we all work with.

Your Area Directors have been busily completing the first round their Area Visit reports for your clubs.

Now your Area Directors are gearing up, with the Division Directors, to hold Toastmasters Leadership Institutes (TLI), in January and February. The TLI events are open to all members to attend, with the bonus for club officers, that attendance at TLIs counts towards their club’s officer training record. There will also be further Club Officer Training (COTs) events across the District.

Why attend training? TLIs and COTs are a great opportunity to review your Club Success Plans and track how far your club has come on your goals set and along with the Distinguished Club Program (DCP). This is often the time to re-consider how the plan is panning out, network with fellow officers, share ideas and tweak your club’s success plans.

Contests

As contest session for the autumn draws to a close, I trust you have all enjoyed the imagination of our fellow members as much as I have. With such brilliant nonsense, hilarious humorous stories spun and weaved to make us laugh. With table topics answers that hinged on tall tales. It has been fantastic to join all your events and be duly entertained. For all the Division Contest winners, congratulations, and see you at the District finals in May.

Trainers Bureau

November saw the first virtual “From Speaker to Trainer” sessions delivered to a blended audience of members from both District 91 and District 71. In total 17 Toastmasters were coached in the dark art of training (as opposed to speaking) by one of our 5-Star capable trainers, Sam Warner.

This course covers comprehensively how to design and create a training course or session, which is quite different from writing a speech. All the component parts are revealed from setting the objectives and gap analysis, through to handling a difficult audience and evaluating the course success. Delivered using Zoom for the first time, it was pacey, packed with information and the participants had no chance to doze off with the interactive segments and exercises.

If you are interested in attending the next course, it is being held on Friday evening on 5 and 12 February 2021. It will be online, using our friend, Zoom. You need to attend both sessions to get your certificate. It is completely FREE to attend. I will be taking the lead as Trainer for the February sessions. Further training sessions will be announced in the new year.

District Webinar Series

The benefits and value of our membership shine brightly, as members have stepped forward to deliver and present, webinars. So far, our webinars have covered everything from; personal resilience, getting paid to speak, managing your energy, starting new clubs, running successful contests, youth leadership, speechcraft, closing the sale and a regular for our Area Directors, their huddle. Plus it was a District highlight to hold the inspirational interview with Toastmasters International Second Vice President, Morag Mathieson.

The District webinars are held on Sunday evenings, the virtual doors open at 18:45. The webinars commence at 19:00 and run through to 20:00. Our District PQD Webinar Manager, Andy Hessey will greet you. The December webinars are already in place. The next tranche will be ready soon for the new year. To register, go to the District 91 website, you can click the link on the District Calendar or go to the Webinar page.

Thank you to all that took part in the series and for those members that have attended and supported these events.

Division A Toastmasters Leadership Institute

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Calling all Incoming Club Officers

Whether you are an experienced committee member or a newly minted 1st-time club officer, you’ll find Division A’s Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI) a rewarding experience. The organising team have prepared a fabulous programme of practical workshops to give you the core skills and knowledge you need to build your club’s best year yet.  (And, by participating, you will help your club achieve it’s Distinguished Club Goals.)

When – Saturday 4th July 2020    Between 9:30 am and 4 pm

Where – From your own home via Zoom

How much? – It’s FREE!

Click here to register now

NB: Advance Registration is Required to Access the Meeting Link

Enjoyable, interactive workshops based on best practice within our district

No dry, dusty presentations here – you’ll be able to roll up your sleeves and work alongside fellow club officers to share, explore, and absorb a wealth of practical knowledge and skills relevant to your new leadership role.

Topics covered will include

  • Moments of Truth – What makes a great club great
  • Club Officer Roles & Responsibilities – Clearing the fog
  • Concurrent Role Specific Skills sessions including
    • Pathways for VPE’s and Basecamp Managers
    • Member Conversion techniques for VPM’s
    • Marketing and PR for VP PR’s
    • Finance Tips and Tools for Treasurers
  • Measuring Success with the Distinguished Club Programme (DCP)
  • Working Together as an effective Club Leadership Team
  • Planning your best year yet with the Club Success Plan

Click here to book your place today

We have developed the programme for all incoming club officers
including any “assistant” officers. It is open to officers of all clubs in District 91.

Attendance for the whole event will count towards DCP Club officer training goals.

Lights, Camera Action

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Like all good film shoots it started early with the production team getting to the venue very early to set up.

Once the lights and cameras were all set up our cast of stars began to arrive.

Our cast and crew were treated to their own VIP green room, with tea, coffee and refreshments available to keep the hydrated throughout the day.

And just before they were needed on set, they were pampered in make-up and wardrobe.

We started shooting with our District Director who like a true professional immediately took to the camera like a duck to water and filmed three videos straight away.

We then re-set the cameras and lightening for our first Toastmaster member Debbie Williams who bounded into the studio with bags of energy and shared her experience of being a Club Officer.

Guler Cortis followed up with her personal My Why story to motivate and inspire.

Next up was Division H Director Sandra Mighty who gave a very polished speech on the value of Leadership in Toastmasters.

The camera continued to roll throughout the day with over 13 members sharing their own personal stories on what they have achieved with Toastmasters and how it has helped them to become a better communicator, a better leader a better presenter.

With our members support and help we have created a wealth of content for videos to promote our incentives, the value of Toastmasters and how it has changed their lives.

We’ll be sharing the videos in the coming weeks but in the meantime a massive thankyou to all those who took part.
Debbie Williams, Jessica Circe Rogers, Abi, Guler Cortis, Ellis Byrne, Mel Cunningham, Dave Hampton, Arnaud Satre, Helena Boden Brewer, Matthew tuff, Natasha John-Baptiste, Rohan and John Cross.

And also Ruth Ruberio for helping to keep all the stars feed and watered.

Megameetings

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By Nuala McHugh, Area 8 Director, Div B

As part of the initiative to strengthen the area and build stronger relationships, Area B8 has kicked off a new initiative for the Toastmasters 2018 – 2019 year; Megameetings. A Megameeting is where each club in the area host a special club meeting. This provides an opportunity where members across the area can make a special effort to both market and attend their neighbouring club.

Area B8 Area Director, Nuala McHugh, envisages many advantages to holding Megameetings in the area. For example, the audience would be bigger and the meeting atmosphere greatly enhanced. This will challenge members to conduct roles and speeches within a larger crowd environment with a set of new faces. Nuala also hope it will cement relations thereby bringing a greater community feel; engaging many new members who do not realise that there is a lot more to Toastmasters than their home club. We look forward to soaking up the vibes and the unique atmosphere that each club has!