Becoming a confident speaker is a journey. The reasons to start the journey are many and varied. They range from wanting to speak well at a daughters wedding, to providing business briefs, wanting to excel in job interviews and delivering university papers to tutors. The fears of public speaking are real demons for many and the achievements and support received is genuinely focused to promote your success at becoming a confident speaker. Ohariu Toastmasters meets in the Johnsonville Community Centre once a fortnight. The club brings together a wide range of ages and skills.
Focused on building confident members, the experienced members mentor and encourage the newer. The positive environment and the learning structure ensures it meets its catch phrase 'Confident speakers, Competent Leaders'.
Ohariu Toastmasters is more than a speaking venue, it is a training ground that provides opportunity to practise, deliver and deliver some more. The more opportunity you have in a positive environment the more refined, robust and confident you become for any environment. Following this principle has acheived great results.
Curious about if the clubs hype could deliver on what it read, two members were kind enough to answer with their own experience.
Glen Pearce:
"When I joined Toastmasters I found the people in the club helpful, supportive and always happy to share the knowledge of their time at Toastmasters. I have learned a lot of speaking skills that have helped me improve in a supportive environment."
Glen went on to join the committee and become the Vice President of Education in 2015-16, a role that enables other members to learn, strive and achieve their goals. This role also taught practical skills of team work and management that can be useful in any organisation.
Martin Wilson:
Toastmasters has taken me from an occasionally competent, always unconfident speaker TO a very competent and generally very confident speaker. I know my speaking 'stuff' now and always feel I'm up for the next speech. I'm quick to work out what's required for many kinds of speech. Compared to the place I found myself in before joining Toastmasters it's a mighty new space to be in. I enjoy my Club, Ohariu Toastmasters, especially the diversity ( backgrounds, speaking experience, ethnicity ) and the way in which its members welcome and support one another.
Martin went on to become Vice President of Membership in 2015-16, a role that builds and promotes the clubs numbers and also ensures everyone is included and their progression is acknowledged. Therse recruitment skills and personnel management skills are useful in Human Resources departments.
Ohariu Toastmasters not only delivers a calm supportive environment, it also leads to development, challenges and opportunities for members beyond speaking should they wish to do more. This is a classic sign of a strong club culture and one that will remain throughout the years.
Should you be interested in more details, follow the link below to their profile page and get in touch with Ohariu Toastmasters. There is an open invite to you to attend a meeting and experience if it is a good fit for you. I'd recommend it! I enjoyed the friendly smiles, warm welcomes and genuine interest in supporting my journey!
Author; Karen King