On occasion, many clubs may need a helping hand in increasing the club's membership. Or there may be interest in creating a new Toastmasters club within a company or community. For either of these cases, Toastmasters has programs to assist clubs in their efforts to reach their goals -- and help individual Toastmasters strengthen their leadership skills along the way.
Clubs Needing Help
All that a club (or potential club) needs to do is make a request to the District Governor for assistance. The District Governor will then appoint one or more Toastmasters to help your club achieve its objectives.
Toastmasters Wanting to Help
On a personal level, individual Toastmasters can work on improving their leadership skills by helping build a new club or rebuild a weak club. You may serve as a Club Sponsor, Club Mentor, or Club Specialist. In any of these roles, you will be able to both practice your leadership skills and help the Toastmasters organization.
Club-Building Roles
There are three specific roles involved in the building or rebuilding of clubs. Each of these roles has different responsibilities, depending upon the needs of the club:
Club Sponsor
A Club Sponsor organizes and helps charter a new
club. A Club Sponsor may be an individual Toastmaster
or an existing Toastmasters club.
Club Mentor
A Club Mentor is a Toastmaster appointed by the
District Governor to assist a new club for at least
six months after the club receives its charter.
Club Specialist
A Club Specialist is a Toastmaster appointed by
the District Governor to help a club with fewer than
ten members rebuild to at least 20 members within
one year. At the time of your appointment, you may
not be a member of the club to which you are assigned.
Speechcraft
Hosting a Speechcraft session is terrific way to promote your club and attract new members.
Recognition
A club serving as a Club Sponsor receives the Founder's Award in recognition of its efforts.
Individual service as a Club Sponsor, Club Mentor, or Club Specialist satisfies one of the requirements for Advanced Leader recognition.
Coordinating a Speechcraft session satisfies one of the requirements for Advanced Toastmaster Gold recognition.
A club that grows from fewer than ten members to at least 20 members within one year receives the Phoenix Award.