Toastmasters International

Toastmasters International is a U.S.-headquartered nonprofit educational organization that operates worldwide to help individuals develop communication, public speaking, and leadership skills.

History

The first Toastmasters club was established on October 22, 1924, in Santa Ana, California, by Dr. Ralph C. Smedley. Smedley initiated this project as a program for young men to practice public speaking at their local YMCA, with the goal of improving their ability to express themselves in front of an audience. By 1932, Toastmasters had expanded internationally with its first club in Vancouver, Canada. Women were first admitted to the organization in 1973.

Club Structure and Meetings

Toastmasters international clubs are structured locally, with an average size of about 20 to 30 members. Meetings typically occur weekly or biweekly, lasting around one to two hours. Each club takes on various roles, such as Chairman, Word Master, Toastmaster, Table Topics Master, Speaker, Evaluator, Timer, Grammarian, and Ah-Counter. Meetings include prepared speeches, improvisational sessions called Table Topics, and evaluations to provide constructive feedback to speakers.

Education Programs

Toastmasters offers a comprehensive education system known as Pathways, which includes multiple learning paths focusing on public speaking, interpersonal communication, management, strategic leadership, and confidence development. Each path consists of 14 projects, with materials available in English and translations in several other languages as of 2023. Additionally, Toastmasters provides a Speechcraft program, a short-term course for non-members to improve their public speaking skills.

Missions and Values

The mission of Toastmasters International is to empower individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. The organization is guided by core values of integrity, respect, service, and excellence. It aims to create a supportive environment for personal and professional growth, fostering greater self-confidence among its members.

Membership and Reach

As of recent years, Toastmasters has grown to include over 270,000 members in more than 14,000 clubs across multiple countries. The organization has facilitated the personal and professional development of nearly eight million people since its inception in 1924.

Competitions

Toastmasters hosts the World Championship of Public Speaking, a global competition that attracts thousands of participants annually, culminating in the selection of the World Champion of Public Speaking at the Toastmasters International Convention.