new member resources
WEBSITES
South County Toastmaster website contains valuable resources and is also where all club meeting minutes are posted. We recommend that you subscribe to the blog so you receive email notification of all new postings including meeting minutes.
TurboBase is the email and scheduling platform our club uses. As a member you have a login to view the weekly meeting assignments and club roster. You also have the ability to send out emails and the weekly agenda to club members. Click the “Forgot Password” link to create/reset your password. Here is a video on using TurboBase.
Toastmasters International website is a great resource to all things Toastmasters. All members have a login to access Pathways the Toastmaster education program. Click the “Forgot Password” link to create/reset your password.
The Navigator is Toastmasters International’s online quick reference filled with essential information about the Toastmasters journey. You will need to log into the Toastmasters International website to access this resource.
Pathways will help you achieve your speaking and leadership goals. Read more about the education paths you can enroll to decide which is best for you. Our club’s vice president of education can answer your Pathways questions. You will want to choose a path right away so you can begin progressing toward your goals.
District 8 is the district South County Toastmasters belongs. This collection of clubs is lead by the District Director. District 8 offers education and training opportunities throughout the year. They also offer opportunities to take on leadership roles at the District level.
EMAIL BEST PRACTICES
Even though Toastmasters is largely focused on the spoken word, email is a very important communication tool for our club. As a member of our club, you accept all the responsibilities that go along with it including good, clear, timely email communications.
All of the same basic guidelines for business email apply here … use a clear subject line, don’t email angry, don’t use all capital letters, keep it clean and so on.
+ for more details about email best practices
In addition and in no particular order, here are some recommended best practices specifically as they apply to your membership in South County Toastmasters:
1. Check your inbox daily. As a member, you need to do this even if it’s not your normal routine.
2. Respond promptly. If a club message asks for a response – or if you can see a response is the right way to handle a situation being addressed in an email – be timely.
Some messages REALLY need your attention & response:
– Meeting Role emails: When the TM or GE send a confirmation email for an upcoming meeting role, respond immediately. (And if you need a substitute, spring into action and find one.)
– Next Month’s Schedule emails: The VPE will usually send an email asking what meeting schedule requests you have for next month. Check your personal calendar and respond immediately. This is much better than a last-minute scramble for a substitute when you knew all along you couldn’t be there.
3. “Reply to All” only when appropriate. Before replying to everyone, BE SURE everyone needs your reply. For instance, if the Toastmaster for an upcoming meeting sends an email to that meeting’s assigned roles to ask if you’ll be there, just reply to the TM and the GE and not to all. with all club emails, copy others only on a need to know basis. Make “Reply to All” the exception and not the rule.
4. Quality, not quantity. Remember that most people – including our members – already get too many emails. So, one of our goals is to use member emailing responsibly. This means sending the fewest possible emails while still maintaining an excellent level of communication. The same applies to how much content to include. Keep it brief and on topic.
5. Make the subject relevant to the message. And, if you reply to a previous message and are changing the topic being discussed, change the subject line.
6. Sign it. Don’t assume that members know “laurensmom692@yahoo.com” is you. At least sign your first name and last initial.
MENTORING
As a new member, you will be assigned a mentor to help you get off to a great start. The Mentoring Milestone Tracker is the check list of items you will cover together.
member resources
Club Manual
Online helpful resource for South County Toastmasters members.
Toastmaster Magazine
The magazine is delivered to your email monthly. You can manage your subscription on the Toastmaster International website.
Tax Deductions
A Toastmasters International reference to what expenses associated with membership are tax deductible.
Club Constitution and Bylaws
This is the most current version amended and approved on March 9th, 2022.
Free Book – Scared Speechless
This book, written by club member Tom Terrific, is filled with Terrific advice on how to conquer your fear of public speaking.
MEETing Role resources
Each meeting, individuals carry out various meeting roles. This allows members to participate and contribute to each meeting in meaningful ways when they are not formally speaking. These roles are defined below. Click the role name to access additional resources.
Greets members and especially guests before each meeting. Helps to ensure guests feel welcome and are introduced to club members.
Opens the meeting with a brief prayer or inspirational message and leads the club in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Acts as the meeting host and master of ceremonies. Leads the program, introduces each participant and the roles those individuals will carry out, and keeps the meeting to the agenda and on time. After formal speeches have concluded, the Toastmaster will ask for the Timer’s report, request ballots be passed to the Vote Counter, introduce the General Evaluator, ask the Ah-Counter for their report, ask the Grammarian for their report, and call on the Vote Counter for results.
Selects a word for each meeting, which club members should try to use when speaking during the meeting. The Grammarian should provide the word’s definition, its part of speech, and how it can be used in a sentence. The Grammarian will provide a report of how many times the word was used throughout the meeting.
Keeps track of the time for all segments of the meeting. Uses timing indicators as reminders for Table Topics participants, formal speakers, and evaluators.
Tracks the number of times club members use crutch words or filler words during speaking roles throughout a Toastmasters meeting, and provides a report at the end of the meeting. This person may use a bell to indicate each instance throughout the meeting. Examples include ‘ah’, ‘um’, ‘like’, and ‘you know’.
At the request of a speaker, records the speeches via video as a tool for improvement.
One who is available to fill in for any role on an ad hoc basis.
Prepares questions, usually aligning with the theme of the meeting, and leads the Table Topics section of the meeting during which individuals are asked to provide spontaneous answers.
Provides an overall evaluation of each meeting by providing feedback for different sections and roles, including evaluation of the Toastmaster, Table Topics, and the evaluators.
Gives an oral and written evaluation of a speech by providing feedback to the speaker.
Tabulates votes for best Table Topics, Best Evaluator, Most Improved, and Best Speaker, and provides the names to the Toastmaster of the evening.
Tells jokes, funny stories, anecdotes, etc., during the time in which votes are counted for the meeting.
Access to PDF versions of all the forms used to fulfill meeting roles.
officer resources
Officers serve a six-month term. Training is provided by District 8, but it is strongly encouraged for outgoing officers to help transition new officers into their role. Toastmasters International offers a wealth of resources for officers. Following are club-specific documents.
New Member Induction Script – coming soon
southcountytoastmasters.org 