CLUB ROLES
Elevate Your Skills with Club Roles
In the club and during meetings, you have chances to experience many different roles. When members are just starting out, they typically begin by learning the regular meeting roles.
If you want to improve your leadership skills, you're welcome to take on a role in the Club Committee. Additionally, there are special roles available for extra practice in speaking and leadership.
In the club and during meetings, you have chances to experience many different roles. When members are just starting out, they typically begin by learning the regular meeting roles.
If you want to improve your leadership skills, you're welcome to take on a role in the Club Committee. Additionally, there are special roles available for extra practice in speaking and leadership.
MEETING ROLES |
SPECIAL ROLES |
CLUB COMMITTEE |
Toastmaster |
Contest Organiser |
|
Timekeeper |
Contest Chair |
|
Grammarian |
Contest Judge |
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Table Topics Master |
Contest Functionary |
|
Table Topics Speaker |
Contest Speaker |
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Table Topics Evaluator |
External General Evaluator |
|
Prepared Speech Speaker |
Newsletter writer |
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Speech Evaluator |
Mentoring club members |
|
General Evaluator |
Running Workshops |
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Please see below for a summary of each role |
Giving Educational Speeches |
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Events Organizer |
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TOASTERMASTER
This is a regular meeting role called the Toastmaster, and its primary role is to lead and set the tone for the meeting. Being enthusiastic and full of energy is crucial for success in this role. The Toastmaster introduces all the meeting functionaries, like the Timekeeper, and speakers in an engaging and supportive manner
Being the Toastmaster teaches you important skills, such as:
Being the Toastmaster teaches you important skills, such as:
- Leadership: You become the team leader for all meeting participants, motivating speakers and rallying audience support.
- Organizational skills required for planning and conducting a meeting.
- Confidence and stage presence as you take ownership of the stage and practice your delivery.
- Chairing skills through speaker introductions and managing the meeting's flow.
- Quick thinking and adaptability for handling unexpected changes.
TIMEKEEPER
This is a common meeting role . The Timekeeper's main duty is to signal the speakers when it's time to conclude their speeches and report the time back to the audience. It's usually the initial meeting role given to new club members, offering them the opportunity to speak on stage with support while adhering to a structured format. The speaking slots in this role are usually brief.
Being the Timekeeper role helps you learn:
Being the Timekeeper role helps you learn:
- Organizational skills for recording information on-the-fly.
- Listening skills to effectively summarize each speech in your reports.
- Speaking skills for delivering the Timekeeper Reports.
GRAMMARIAN
This is a regular meeting role known as the Grammarian. The Grammarian's primary duty is to emphasize the importance of using language effectively. Towards the end of the meeting, the Grammarian must deliver the Grammarian's Report.
This role is suitable for both advanced members and beginners, as it involves evaluating language usage within the club, thereby helping you refine your own language skills in your speeches.
The Grammarian role helps you develop the following skills:
This role is suitable for both advanced members and beginners, as it involves evaluating language usage within the club, thereby helping you refine your own language skills in your speeches.
The Grammarian role helps you develop the following skills:
- Listening Skills.
- Critical thinking and analytical skills.
- Creative writing abilities, enabling you to prepare the Grammarian's Report on the fly.
- Speaking skills for delivering the Grammarian's Reports.
TABLE TOPICS MASTER
This is a regular meeting role. The Table Topics Master runs the impromptu speaking session, in the first half of the programme. The role effectively serves as a toastmaster during the course of the session, and requires welcoming speakers to the stage, smiling and giving hand-shakes as well as managing the flow and timing of the session.
The TT Master must prepare a range of impromptu topics for speakers to respond to during the session. Each surprise topic is briefly presented by the TT Master who then calls the Table Topics volunteer to the stage, to deliver an impromptu speech up to 1 minute 30 seconds long.
The TT Master must prepare a range of impromptu topics for speakers to respond to during the session. Each surprise topic is briefly presented by the TT Master who then calls the Table Topics volunteer to the stage, to deliver an impromptu speech up to 1 minute 30 seconds long.
TABLE TOPICS SPEAKER
This is a regular meeting role and contest role. Table Topics speakers are required to volunteer for the role prior to the meeting. The role is an excellent opportunity to have fun and meet the challenge of impromptu speaking.
TT speakers are required to speak for up to 1 minute 30 seconds on a surprise topic introduced by the TT Master. The challenge is to think of a structured response with supporting evidence, in front of an audience, while performing the delivery with good public-speakings skills.
TT speakers are required to speak for up to 1 minute 30 seconds on a surprise topic introduced by the TT Master. The challenge is to think of a structured response with supporting evidence, in front of an audience, while performing the delivery with good public-speakings skills.
TABLE TOPICS EVALUATOR
This is a regular meeting role. The Table Topics Evaluator role is an advanced evaluator role because feedback, in the form of a structured speech, must be provided on each and all the Table Topics speakers.
The role is challenging because it requires attentive listening throughout the Topics session, while applying analytical and organisational skills to compose the feedback at the same time.
The evaluations should be encouraging to the speakers, pointing out what was done well and what could be done better and how.
The role is challenging because it requires attentive listening throughout the Topics session, while applying analytical and organisational skills to compose the feedback at the same time.
The evaluations should be encouraging to the speakers, pointing out what was done well and what could be done better and how.
PREPARED SPEECH SPEAKER
This is a regular meeting role and contest role. By practising prepared speeches, we learn how to write and deliver speeches and presentations successfully. There are many aspects to speech composition and delivery, and the Toastmasters International Education Programme addresses each of these as a project in our first manual, comprising ten projects in the Competent Communication manual. Beyond the first ten projects, members are presented with a choice of advanced speech projects that focus on a specific speaking scenario. Speaking scenarios may extend to Q&A sessions, role plays or interpretative reading.
Each speech project has an allocated minimum and maximum duration of delivery at the club meeting.
To participate in The International Speech contest, contestants must have completed at least Speech Project No. 6 from the Competent
Communications manual. However, there is no minimum speech project level required for taking part in the Humorous Speech contest
Each speech project has an allocated minimum and maximum duration of delivery at the club meeting.
To participate in The International Speech contest, contestants must have completed at least Speech Project No. 6 from the Competent
Communications manual. However, there is no minimum speech project level required for taking part in the Humorous Speech contest
SPEECH EVALUATOR
This is a regular meeting role and contest role. Speech evaluations are an excellent way to develop good critical thinking and leadership skills by giving support to other people. Evaluators must have completed at least Speech Project No. 3 from the Competent Communication manual before conducting a speech evaluation.
Speech Evaluations should be sensitive to the speaker. More experienced speakers will be keen to learn what can be done better, in order to stretch themselves, as well as re-affirm what continues to be popular; whereas a new speaker needs encouragement and recognition for what has been done well, while providing just one clear recommendation, with simple demonstrations on how to be better.
It is essential to end the evaluation with encouragement for the speaker.
Speech Evaluations should be sensitive to the speaker. More experienced speakers will be keen to learn what can be done better, in order to stretch themselves, as well as re-affirm what continues to be popular; whereas a new speaker needs encouragement and recognition for what has been done well, while providing just one clear recommendation, with simple demonstrations on how to be better.
It is essential to end the evaluation with encouragement for the speaker.
GENERAL EVALUATOR
The General Evaluator (G.E.) is a regular meeting role and is the last role of the evening, prior to the final Toastmaster hand-over and the Club President’s meeting close. The General Evaluator must listen attentively throughout the meeting, and deliver an evaluation report on the performance of all the functionaries and evaluators - in other words, evaluate everyone who has not yet been evaluated in the meeting.
Being the last role, at the end of the evening, it is essential to deliver the G.E. report with enthusiasm and energy.
Being the last role, at the end of the evening, it is essential to deliver the G.E. report with enthusiasm and energy.
CONTEST ORGANISER
Two contests are held in the year - The Humorous Speech and Table Topics Contest and The International Speech and Evaluation Contest. These are special events and require considerable preparation and organisation.
The Contest Organiser is responsible for arranging all aspects of the contest including securing participants (contestants, judges, a speaker in the case of the Evaluation contest, and functionaries), as well as the layout and content of the programme including entertainment.
The Contest Organiser must become familiar with the rules of the contest.
The Contest Organiser is responsible for arranging all aspects of the contest including securing participants (contestants, judges, a speaker in the case of the Evaluation contest, and functionaries), as well as the layout and content of the programme including entertainment.
The Contest Organiser must become familiar with the rules of the contest.
CONTEST CHAIR
The Contest Chair is the Toastmaster for the contest. The role is significantly increased from a regular meeting Toastmaster.
The Contest Chair must give briefings to contestants and judges at the contest meeting, draw the order of contestants, instruct the audience on the rules of the contest, as well as host a different format of programme to that for a regular meeting.
The Contest Chair must give briefings to contestants and judges at the contest meeting, draw the order of contestants, instruct the audience on the rules of the contest, as well as host a different format of programme to that for a regular meeting.
CONTEST JUDGE
Members who are not competing or have been eliminated from the contest, are able to perform the role of a Contest Judge.
This is an excellent opportunity to fine-tune one's listening skills and be guided in recognising the individual elements that make up a winning speech.
Judging as a club representative at an external club contest is also an excellent opportunity to observe and learn at a different club.
This is an excellent opportunity to fine-tune one's listening skills and be guided in recognising the individual elements that make up a winning speech.
Judging as a club representative at an external club contest is also an excellent opportunity to observe and learn at a different club.
CONTEST FUNCTIONARY
The functionary roles at a contest are critical to the running of the contest meeting, unlike at a normal regular meeting. Roles include Timekeepers, Vote-counters, and a Sergeant-at-Arms.
The performance of the role is described in detail in the Contest Rule Book from Toastmasters International.
The performance of the role is described in detail in the Contest Rule Book from Toastmasters International.
CONTEST SPEAKER
All members are encouraged to participate in contests. This elevates the experience of public-speaking and helps to motivate speakers to practise best speaking skills. There are opportunities to compete in delivery of prepared speeches - both the International Speech and Humorous Speech contests; impromptu Table Topics; and Speech Evaluations.
The contests start at club level and the winners progress to the next round which is the area level. Winners of the area level progress to the division level and finally the division winners take part in the district level contest covering the UK and Ireland. In the case of the International Speech Contest, the winner progresses to the international stage.
At each progressive level, the audience changes and the size increases as does the quality of the speeches.
The contests start at club level and the winners progress to the next round which is the area level. Winners of the area level progress to the division level and finally the division winners take part in the district level contest covering the UK and Ireland. In the case of the International Speech Contest, the winner progresses to the international stage.
At each progressive level, the audience changes and the size increases as does the quality of the speeches.
EXTERNAL GENERAL EVALUATOR
In terms of delivery, this role is the same as the General Evaluator role that takes place at a local regular club meeting. However, performing an external G.E. role takes place at a different club.
This is a an excellent opportunity to speak in front of a different audience as well as attend in the spirit of being a leader representing one's home club. The G.E. is also able to observe and learn the practices and culture at a different club, and possibly bring back ideas to implement at the home club.
This is a an excellent opportunity to speak in front of a different audience as well as attend in the spirit of being a leader representing one's home club. The G.E. is also able to observe and learn the practices and culture at a different club, and possibly bring back ideas to implement at the home club.
NEWSLETTER WRITER
Writing the newsletter is a good opportunity to realise the value of listening in order to select key points from a club meeting. Both writing and formatting skills are developed when drafting the newsletter that is published by the VPPR.
MENTORING CLUB MEMBERS
Mentoring others is an excellent opportunity to develop leadership skills by being supportive and motivational. Members who become more experienced are offered and encouraged to take on a mentoring role within the club.
The club officer for Mentoring takes an active role in assigning mentors and giving feedback.
The club officer for Mentoring takes an active role in assigning mentors and giving feedback.
RUNNING WORKSHOPS
This is a powerful meeting role to take on. It calls for good meeting leadership as well as speaking skills. The workshop leader must design and deliver a workshop for club members to enjoy and learn from.
A high degree of organisation is required to prepare a workshop. An enthusiastic and structured delivery is key to maintain successful participation of audience members.
A high degree of organisation is required to prepare a workshop. An enthusiastic and structured delivery is key to maintain successful participation of audience members.
GIVING EDUCATIONAL SPEECHES
An education speech takes place in a speech slot on a regular club meeting programme. It is an opportunity for the speaker to lead the audience in a delivery that educates the audience about some aspect of Toastmasters International or an aspect of speaking or leadership quality.
Toastmasters International has guides on the content of many education speeches that can be delivered.
Toastmasters International has guides on the content of many education speeches that can be delivered.
EVENTS ORGANISER
There are opportunities to take responsibility for organising entertainment slots for club meetings or even arrange special events such a Club Birthday Party or Christmas Party. This is a great chance to have fun and be creative.
The role exercises leadership through delegation of preparatory work and assignment of activities to fellow club members.
The role exercises leadership through delegation of preparatory work and assignment of activities to fellow club members.