Your Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What sort of people do you have in your club?

A. Hereford Street Toastmasters Club is a very diverse club. The age of our members range from early 20’s to mid 60’s. We have a number of members who have English as a second language and people who have come from South East Asia, Europe and the United States. Both men and women are welcome in our club. In terms of occupation, we have students, IT professionals, people who work in local government, solicitors, and sales people, to name a few.

The most important thing about our club is that it is supportive. We meet every week because we want to – so having a positive club climate where you can learn from others and have fun is very important to us.

Q. Do I have to be a good speaker to join Toastmasters?

A. No, not at all. We cater to all needs and whether you are just beginning to speak publicly or whether you have already had some experience – everybody benefits from becoming a member in our club.

Q. What kind of skills can I learn in your club?

A.  There are four particular skills that you will hone in our club.

• We teach you how to speak publicly.
• You will also learn how to become a better listener through the variety of duties that are performed at every meeting we conduct.
• You will learn how to evaluate others.
• You will become a better leader should you choose to join the club’s committee where you learn the value of goal setting, motivation, delegation, etc.

Q. What should I do now?

A. You can contact our President, Rebecca McKewen, on 03 377 1698, or 021 155 8174

Or you can simply come along as a guest to one of our forthcoming meetings. We meet every Wednesday at 5.30pm in the YMCA, on the corner of Hereford Street and Rolleston Avenue, close to Hagley Park. (The YMCA receptionist will show you where we meet).

Q. What do I have to do if I come along to one of your meetings as a guest?

A. As much or as little as you like! Some guests choose to sit quietly in the back and observe, while others might participate in “Table Topics”, our impromptu speaking session. You will be asked if you would like to try this but nobody will force you to. It is your choice.

Q. Will there be any pressure on me to become a member of your club?

A.  No, none at all. In fact, you are welcome to come along a second time as a guest if you weren’t so sure after the first time.

Q. How do I become a member?

A. Becoming a member is very easy. Just come along to one of our meetings and if you like what we do and how we do things, then we will sign you up which should take all of 5 minutes.

To find out more you can contact our President, Rebecca McKewen, on 03 377 1698, or 021 155 8174

Or you can simply come along as a guest to one of our forthcoming meetings. We meet every Wednesday at 5.30pm in the YMCA, on the corner of Hereford Street and Rolleston Avenue, close to Hagley Park. (The YMCA receptionist will show you where we meet).

Q. Can anybody join your club?

A. Nearly everybody. Members have to be at least 18 years of age. Apart from that there are no restrictions. Because we meet in the city centre members come from all suburbs of Christchurch.

Q. How much does it cost?

A. Hereford Street Toastmasters is a not-for-profit organisation run by volunteers. Hence, we keep our membership fees as low as possible to cover our main expenses (e.g. room hire and membership of Toastmasters International).

Fees for new members comprise a $45 joining fee (includes the Competent Communicator and Leadership manuals)and an on-going fee of $15 per month. Toastmasters International require six (6) months in advance and ask for this on sign up. This makes joining an initial fee of $135 and then $15 every month after that.

Q. What happens after I have joined Hereford Street Toastmasters?

A. You are officially welcomed to our club by the President. You will receive a set of four manuals and an experienced member of the club will be assigned to be your mentor to help you get started, if requested.

Q. How does the Hereford Street Toastmasters programme work?

A. We promote self-paced learning. Nobody at our club will pressure you to “rush through the programme”. In time you will be rostered for certain duties at each meeting. These start with easier tasks and you graduate to more complex duties as you become familiar with the club procedures.
    
When you join our club, you will receive four manuals:

• How to use your speaking voice effectively.
• How to use gestures to your advantage.
• How to evaluate others.

Most importantly, you receive the Communication & Leadership (C&L) manual which contains your first 10 speech assignments. Each speech assignment has specific objectives. The topic of your speech, however, is totally up to you.

Once you have completed the C&L manual, you are a Competent Communicator (CC). This is usually the first big achievement that any Toastmaster should aim for. At that stage you would not only have given 10 speeches in front of an audience but you would also have performed some of the various duties mentioned above (e.g. timekeeper, grammarian, speech evaluator, etc.)

After attaining your CC, you can choose between two separate aspects of the Toastmasters programme. There is the Communication track which has more advanced speech assignments waiting for you, as well you can choose to follow the Leadership track and take up a leadership position in this Toastmasters club or other clubs.

As you can see, there are challenges for everybody! So don’t delay, contact (membership of Toastmasters International)Rebecca McKewen, on 03 377 1698, or 021 155 8174 or simply come as a guest to one of our upcoming meetings. We meet each Wednesday at 5.30pm.