Toastmasters is a not-for-profit organisation, focused on communication and leadership development. By joining one of the many clubs in New Zealand and around the world, Toastmasters provides learning materials and a platform for people to perform speaking and leadership roles which help build experience, knowledge and confidence to achieve personal development goals and expand professional skills. 

Clubs schedule meetings allowing most or all members to speak and/or lead on each occasion. This regular exposure to delivering prepared speeches, impromptu speeches, receiving encouraging evaluations from peers and performing various meeting roles is what sets Toastmasters apart. There are opportunities to test yourself in contests, learn advanced skills by performing at higher levels or meeting, watching and interacting with members who have achieved high levels of proficiency.

All leaders and members are volunteers. They help each other because they enjoy watching people learn and grow and teaching is one of the best methods of learning. 

Membership of a Toastmasters club is open to everyone aged 18 years or older. 

Visit one or more clubs to find the one that’s right for you. Each club has a different meeting frequency, meeting times and durations and culture. It’s free to attend as a guest and you may request to join on your first visit or you may make several visits to be sure. 

Once you decide to become a member, download and complete the membership form and pay a one-off joining fee and the club subscription fee. Fees vary from club to club, all clubs are non-profit – please enquire at about fees at the club you wish to join. New members are then voted in and commence their Toastmasters journey. 

Club meetings are held in a variety of locations that allow for successful meetings. These may include Community Centres, Libraries, Business Boardrooms, University Campuses, Restaurants and sometimes local Churches. Toastmasters is independent Organisation. 

Yes. You may visit as many clubs as you wish to find the one that is right for you. 

You may turn up, preferably a few minutes early to receive an agenda and short explanation of how meetings work. Ideally, contact the club in advance to confirm start time, duration and where the meeting will be held. 

Meetings can last from one-to-two hours and frequency varies from weekly to monthly. 

You are not required to bring anything to a meeting. Most clubs provide hand-outs, agendas and, depending on the duration of the meeting, snacks and refreshments. We believe learning happens best when having fun so we aim to encourage a light-hearted environment. 

Clubs are non-profit entities. Fees vary from club to club depending on what services and facilities they choose to provide their members. However, the cost is usually between $20 – $30 per month, plus a one-off joining fee for new members.

Guests attending a Toastmasters club meeting has the option of observing or introducing themselves. You may also have the opportunity of participating in Table Topics – the part of the meeting where members are given a random topic and invited to speak on that topic for one-to-two minutes. 

Each Club has a President who may open and/or close the meetings. Each meeting is lead by a member rostered on to do so called the “Toastmaster of the Day” but there is no formal instructor. All members are assigned various duties for each meeting which rotate regularly. Learning is supported by Toastmasters online learning experience, Pathways. Plus, each member has the opportunity to be assigned one or more mentors who are available to offer support and guidance. There are also many other online resources to help members know how to perform any assigned role.