Toastmaster clubs can need a helping hand in increasing the club's membership to stay vital or viable. There may also be an 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 Director for assistance. The District Director 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 weaker 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 Director 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 Director 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 excellent way to promote a club and attract new members.

Recognition

A club serving as a Club Sponsor receives the Founder's Award in recognition of its efforts.

Serving as a Club Sponsor, Club Mentor, or Club Specialist satisfies requirements for achieving a Distinguished Toastmaster designation.

Coordinating a Speechcraft session can satisfy a requirement for achieving a Distinguished Toastmaster designation.

A club that grows from fewer than ten members to at least 20 members within one year receives the Phoenix Award.