Toastmasters International

Toastmasters International (TI) is a U.S.-headquartered nonprofit educational organization dedicated to developing communication, public speaking, and leadership skills through a global network of clubs.

Formation and History

Toastmasters was founded by Ralph C. Smedley on March 24, 1905, initially as an informal club in Bloomington, Illinois, to help young men develop speech and leadership abilities. However, the first permanent club was established on October 22, 1924, at the YMCA in Santa Ana, California. This marked the beginning of Toastmasters International as it grew from a single club to an international organization. By 1932, the organization incorporated as a nonprofit and expanded internationally with the first club outside the U.S. established in Vancouver, Canada. Women were welcomed into the organization in 1973.

Structure and Meetings

The organization operates through local clubs, each typically consisting of about 20 to 30 members who meet weekly or biweekly. Meetings are structured around three main components: prepared speeches, where members deliver well-planned speeches following the Toastmasters guidelines; Table Topics, where members participate in impromptu speeches to improve their ability to think on their feet; and evaluation sessions, where speakers receive constructive feedback on their presentations.

Roles within a meeting include:

• Chairman: Opens and leads the introductory part of the meeting.
• Word Master: Introduces and explains a word for the day.
• Toastmaster: Guides the main speech segment of the meeting.
• Table Topics Master: Prepares topics for impromptu speeches.
• Evaluator: Provides feedback on each prepared speech.
• Timer: Ensures speeches stay within time limits.
• Grammarian: Monitors and corrects grammatical errors during the meeting.

Education Programs

Toastmasters offers several educational programs aimed at improving public speaking and leadership skills. The Pathways program provides members with eleven paths to choose from, each containing 14 projects that focus on various skills such as public speaking, interpersonal communication, and strategic leadership. Additionally, the Speechcraft program is designed for non-members, offering a condensed version of Toastmasters' public speaking techniques over a short series of sessions.

Membership and Impact

As of recent years, Toastmasters International has a membership base of over 270,000 individuals in more than 14,000 clubs across 148 countries. The organization has empowered millions of people to become better communicators and leaders through its supportive learning environment.

Annual Events

Toastmasters hosts the World Championship of Public Speaking, one of the largest speech contests globally, where thousands of participants from over 100 countries compete for the title of World Champion of Public Speaking.

Legal Status

Toastmasters International is recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization under U.S. law. Its EIN is 431590369.