Sponsor or mentor a new Toastmasters Club

Setting clubs up for success

Club Volunteer

Toastmasters provides members with rewarding leadership roles that advance their personal goals and help them on their road to becoming a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM)! Volunteer to support a new club’s development by becoming their sponsor or mentor; or coach a struggling club.

District 5 is growing and we need your help to create successful new clubs and support struggling clubs.

Build a new club

By building new clubs, we offer more people the opportunity to benefit from the Toastmasters educational program.

As Toastmasters we all know the benefits of the educational program and how membership has enriched our lives. Let’s pay it forward. It is a pleasure to share this program with others in our communities. One of the best ways for us to achieve this goal is to get involved in building new clubs. This provides leadership opportunities and the is part of the road to becoming a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM).

Learn more about being a Club Sponsor→

Learn more about being a Club Mentor→

Support an existing club

Would you like to help a struggling club get back on track? Volunteer as a Club Coach! We will provide you with the tools and you will earn credit toward your DTM award.

Learn more about being a Club Coach →

Download a guide for building club strength →

Training materials:

D5 Coaching training (2019)
D5 Sponsor & Mentor training (2019)

What's in it for YOU as a volunteer?

Seize the opportunity to work with fresh minds and an excited group of new members who are eager to receive your guidance, assistance, and expertise.
Polish the transferable leadership skills you will develop as you walk through the various steps of the chartering process.
Earn the respect of your peers, the admiration of the people you help, and the pride that you feel as a result of successfully achieving your goal.
Meet new people, make connections beyond your current sphere of influence, and foster new relationships and friendships.
Set an example of leadership and challenge yourself by committing to a project that you know is going to test and stretch you.
Achieve a goal; receive credit towards your DTM and help others do likewise (i.e. Club Mentor), set the Area, Division, and District up for success by adding more clubs and members.
Have Fun!

How can you help?

Submit a club lead
Become a new club mentor or sponsor
Become a club coach to an existing club
Work with club mentors and sponsors to set up and conduct demo meetings for new clubs
Speak or fill other roles at launch meetings (demonstration meetings, see below)

Sponsors are the organizers

The sponsor is responsible for the actual organization of the new club, including selling the new club idea to prospective members, assisting in the establishment of regular meetings, handling the paperwork and helping to plan the charter presentation. The commitment for a sponsor varies, on average it is three months.

After that point, the sponsor’s responsibilities end and the mentor takes over. Each new club may have up to two sponsors. Sponsors receive a certificate when the club gets its charter and can receive credit toward DTM.

TI Training Materials

What you are expected to accomplish as a new club sponsor?

Marketing: Support the club prospective members to build up to charter strength (20 members, among them, only 3 can be current Toastmasters Members. The only exception would be the Advanced Clubs that requires dual membership).
Train prospective members:
- On club officer and functionary roles
- On club operations and best practices, such as establishing a regular meeting cadence
Build a foundation for success:
- Establish club leadership by electing club officers
- Build a mentoring program
- Handle the paperwork (you may ask the district officers to help)
- Plan a memorable chartering ceremony
- Establish club mentors as trusted resources to create a smooth transition

The role of a mentor

Club mentors are guides

New Club Mentors are experienced Toastmasters who attend the new club meetings, providing guidance during its first 6-12 months. Working side by side with the new Toastmasters, the mentor shows them how to fulfill meeting roles and helps new officers perform their duties. The District Director appoints one or two mentors to each new club.

The mentor receives a certificate when the club receives its charter.
Mentors also receive credit toward their DTM for fulfilling their roles satisfactorily.

Resources

What are you expected to accomplish as a new club mentor?

Foster a smooth transition from the club sponsor(s)
Provide guidance and support to club officers as they perform their duties:
- Mentor and guide as they learn their role
- Help to submit and track educational awards
- Help to submit membership applications and follow up with new members
- Help to submit dues
- Insure the Club Officer List is updated and meeting notes are kept
Help the club develop a cadence and club calendar for membership building activities
Train the club to understand Distinguished Club Program (DCP) and make a club success plan
Report any issue to the district officers IMMEDIATELY

The role of a club coach

A club with less than 10 members is eligible to request a club coach.

Q. Can a club coach really help your club?

A. Yes, a club coach can help your club when your club members are willing and ready to commit to help the club grow.

Contact the Club Growth Director to request a club coach. Please provide the following information along with your request:

The results of the “Moment of Truth” survey—this will help identify your club’s needs
The Club Officer training reports
Ask all of your club officers (and/or members) to attend club officer training and marketing workshops. Also, ask them the following questions:
- What new ideas would they like to implement?
- What can they do to better support the club?
The contact information of the 3 core members
You will need at least three core members who are willing to work with the club coach.