FROM THE DESK

Consider Advanced Clubs

Lorri Andersen, DTM - Club Growth Director

Have you ever considered joining an advanced club? I’m sure your first question will be. . . why?

I believe everyone should consider joining an advanced club along with their home club. Advanced clubs are designed to expand your knowledge and overall club experience.

Being curious what other Districts in our Region had to offer, I began to look closely at District 15’s advanced clubs. One of their advanced clubs has an educational requirement where members must complete at least three Paths and offers: • Deeper evaluations than a typical club • Round-table discussion and evaluation of every speech • Serves as the “go to” place to practice that non-Toastmaster speech you must nail • Time for longer non-Toastmaster speeches and for level-4/5 Pathways projects • Educational sessions and guest presenters

Learning from a broad range of Toastmasters. Some of the things they have accomplished in their presentations are to: lead a panel discussion, create a blog, deliver a keynote speech, video activities, and conduct a webinar.

Doesn’t that sound exciting? I love the concept of advanced clubs and I think our District should have more of them! If you feel there isn’t an advanced club that fits what you want to accomplish, have you thought about starting your own club? Seriously, it’s just that easy!

The fastest way to start an Advanced club is to require dual memberships. You can also require an educational level before accepting club members. That can be decided by the Charter Team.

Here is a great explanation by District 31: Advanced clubs are for current Toastmasters members who want to take their speaking abilities to the next level. These clubs are designed to provide another forum for development. Advanced clubs generally have longer meetings and allow for more complex presentations. An evaluation for each speech is given by all

Toastmasters and typically more in-depth.

Toastmaster magazine put it this way: As we grow in our Toastmasters experience, we sometimes see the need for a greater challenge. And that frequently involves receiving a stronger level of feedback after our speeches. If that sounds like you, then you might want to consider joining an advanced club. The main difference between a basic and an advanced club is the level or type of feedback.

Bill Brown DTM, Toastmasters Magazine, 8,2018

Here are the benefits as you ponder starting an advanced club: • More advanced learning in the District • Education taken to the next level. • You can mold a club the way you want • It’s fun to start a new club! • Toastmasters International is waiving the charter and new member fees until 06/30/21! • We have three more months to start a new club! • You and a friend can be the sponsors • District 7 needs more new clubs! Here are some advanced/specialty club ideas: • Humor and Drama Toastmasters • Debate Club • Advanced listening and critical analysis • Parliamentary Procedure • Master Trainers • Bilingual

Consider starting with why. Why would you want to start a new club? Simon Sinek’s Start with Why (2009) encourages readers to start understanding their ‘why.’ If you know the why, you can do the what. The reason must be strong like it was when you first started in Toastmasters. You started because you wanted to learn how to stand up in front of others and speak confidently without fear. The same passion can be used to start your next new club! Why not? All the help you need is available.

Call or email your Club Growth Director cgd@ d7toastmasters.org and get started!