Toastmasters

What is Toastmasters?

- Are you nervous if you are going to make a speech in a group of people?
- Are you sure how to structure a speech?
- Would you like to be better, to present a work project, do a party speech, or perform on stage?

I have been a member of Toastmasters International for two years and am now the President of the club in Copenhagen.
Many have asked me if we ONLY make speeches in Toastmasters and the answer is NO!

When you begin in the Toastmasters you will have a mentor who is an experienced club member. That person will help you with everything regarding the activities of the club. You also get a thoroughly tested system that will guide you safely through the different stages in your development, to be an experienced, self-assured, and entertaining speaker.

The basic system consists of ten steps (which are your first ten speeches). That step by step makes you confident with body language, tonality, structure, visual aids etc...
Before I joined Toastmasters, I gave many speeches, but I never had honest, heartfelt, and competent feedback on what I did well, or what I could do to improve.

When you make your speech there will be an evaluator. This means that afterwards you will hear how it went. How you acted physically, regarding movements of the hands, if you expressed yourself clearly, if you have some inappropriate habits, if the tonality is varied properly, etc...
Another is the counter of fluff words as well as keeping an eye on the time you spent. The speech must not be too short, or too long.

With Toastmasters you will gradually learn to GIVE feedback to others in the most desirable and positive way. You can use that in other relationships as well, both at work, and within your family.

You learn how to structure a speech/presentation (after your own choice) so that it is both interconnected, exciting and fun.

Apart from the speakers of the evening there is also a Quiz or Table Topic. It can be for example, a random word you are given and you then have to get up immediately and do a speech for one or two minutes. Another way is where someone starts a story and suddenly another has to continue with it for a minute and then a third takes over and it continues to yet another.
It's very entertaining, educational, and good fun.
The idea is that you very quickly learn to structure a speech, say something sensible, believable, and it doesn't have to be true………

There are many things to concentrate on, but you become better and better to handle this. You get better at having an overall view of the situation. And of course, you become more self-confidence when you are going to say something in a group of people.
We are both relaxed and formal. That means that with you in the long run, it becomes automatic and natural, as to what you do before, during and after a presentation. So you don't have to THINK about it, but only have to concentrate 100% about the subject. It removes a great deal of the stress by getting up and saying something. You learn to put yourself in focus in a serious way.

We meet every other Tuesday from 6.05pm to 7.20pm. The meetings are alternately in Danish and in English.
Membership is 275 Danish Kroner for 6 months and 150 Danish Kroner registration.

Come and join us.
You will both learn some good skills and at the same time have some fun in the company of nice people.

"Toastmasters International is a movement to help men and women learn the arts of speaking, listening and thinking."

Copenhagen Club Mission:
"To provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth."

www.toastmasters.org
www.toastmasters.dk

Here are a couple of videos from some of our meetings.

Where to find us:

How is a meeting:

Watch more videos at www.YouTube.com/toastmastersdk

If the videos break up then hit the Pause botton and wait a couple of minutes for it to download at your computer.

Click at the pictures to see them in full size.
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Click here to download an evaluating form.

Click here to read an article about Toastmasters