Learn public speaking skills by coming along to Stirling Speakers. A typical meeting looks like this:
We start the meeting with some introductions by our Toastmaster. If you are coming along for the first time, you will be asked to introduce yourself but DON’T PANIC – you can “pass” if you want to. We don’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable so we invite you to go at your own pace.
Next up is an introduction to some of the helpers who will be making sure we get the most out of the meeting. We have:
The Timer who keeps us all to time
The Ah Counter who tallies up words like “um” and “ah”
The Grammarian introduces a word of the day and watches out for good or bad use of language
The General Evaluator whose job is to evaluate everything that has not already been evaluated
We then move on to prepared speeches. These are project driven speeches which aim to build up your skills. They are normally 5 – 7 minutes long and can be on any topic. These speeches are evaluated by a speech evaluator who gives feedback about what went well and what could be improved.
At this point, we usually have a break. Grab a tea or coffee and if you’re attending in person there may some biscuits or cake!
After the break, you get another chance to work on your public speaking skills through Table Topics. Each participant is given 2 minutes to speak on a topic they are given, with no preparation. As with everything else, the Table Topic Evaluator gives feedback. You don’t have to take part but we encourage you to do so.
Finally, our helpers from earlier on come back up to give their reports. After a few announcements and closing remarks, the meeting ends.
The meetings and educational programme are designed to help you increase your confidence as you develop your public speaking skills. Joining the Club gives you access to online training and lots of opportunities to practice your skills. You will always receive feedback and our mentor programme will give you one to one assistance.
Why not try before you buy? Come along to 3 free meetings to see what it is all about.