What is Toastmasters

Toastmasters International is an educational, non-profit organization. It is the leading movement devoted to making effective oral communication a worldwide reality.

Toastmasters International was founded in 1924, by Dr. Ralph C. Smedley. Through its member clubs, Toastmasters International helps men and women learn the arts of speaking, listening and thinking - vital skills that promote self-actualization, enhance leadership potential, foster human understanding, and contribute to the betterment of mankind.

The Toastmaster International mission asserts that it is the leading movement devoted to making effective oral communication a worldwide reality. It is basic to this mission that Toastmasters International continually expand its worldwide network of clubs, thereby offering ever-greater numbers of people the opportunity to benefit from its programs.

Today there many thousands of clubs, all over the world. There are about 100 clubs in Northeast Ohio (a geographic area known as District 10). The organization groups clubs into Areas, Areas into Divisions, Divisions into Districts, and Districts into Regions. There are eight Regions in the USA and Canada, plus the overseas Districts and clubs, which in total is Toastmasters International.

A new club requires a minimum of 20 members to charter. Anyone 18 years of age or older, who wants to improve his or her communication skills, is eligible for membership. Some clubs meet for breakfast, some at noon, some for dinner and others at a non-meal time. It's really up to the members to decide. Some clubs are known as Community, open to any person of minimum age who wants to improve communication skills. Others are sponsored by Corporations or Organizations, which might restrict membership to their own group. Most clubs meet weekly, usually for 1 to 2 hours.

Mission of the District

The mission of the District is to enhance the performance and extend the network of Clubs, thereby offering greater numbers of people the opportunity to benefit from the Toastmasters Educational Program by:

• Focusing on the critical success factors as specified by the District educational and membership goals.
• Ensuring that each Club effectively fulfills its responsibilities to its members.
• Providing effective training and leadership development opportunities for Club and District officers.