Toastmasters International

{{short description|Nonprofit organization promoting communication, public speaking and leadership}} {{Redirect|Toastmasters|the general term|Toastmaster}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2018}} {{Promotional|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox organization | name = Toastmasters International | nickname = | logo = Toastmasters 2011.png | logo_size = 150px | logo_alt = Toastmasters logo | logo_caption = | abbreviation = TI, TM | formation = {{start date and age|1924|10|22}} | founder = Ralph C. Smedley | type = INGO | tax_id = 95-1300076<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://secure.toastmasters.org/neon/resource/toastmasters/files/Contributor%20Form%20-%20Standard.pdf |title=Ralph C. Smedley Memorial Fund contribution form |publisher=Toastmasters International |access-date=April 9, 2019}}</ref> | status = Non-profit organization | purpose = Educational | headquarters = {{mf-adr|street=9127 South Jamaica Street|city=Meridian|region=Colorado|nation=US}} | coordinates =  | region_served = Worldwide | num_members = 265,261 <ref name="Who">{{Cite web | url=https://content.toastmasters.org/image/upload/ceo-report-august-2025.pdf | title=CEO Report August 2025 | website=toastmasters.org/}}</ref> | num_members_year = 2025 | language = | owner =  | secretary_general =  | leader_title = International President | leader_name = Aletta Rochat (2025-2026)<ref>{{cite web |title=Toastmasters International Presidents |url=https://www.toastmasters.org/about/history/international-presidents |access-date=2026-03-13 }}</ref> | affiliations = | budget = | budget_year = | revenue = $38,571,257 <ref name="IRS">{{Cite web|url=https://www.toastmasters.org/about/annual-financial-reports|title=Toastmasters International -Annual Financial Reports|website=www.toastmasters.org}}</ref> | revenue_year = 2024 | num_staff = 198<ref name="IRS" /> | num_staff_year = 2016 | num_volunteers = 117,789<ref name="IRS" /> | num_volunteers_year = 2016 | website = {{URL|https://www.toastmasters.org|toastmasters.org}}  | footnotes = }} '''Toastmasters International''' ('''TI''') is a US-headquartered nonprofit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide to promote communication, public speaking, and leadership skills.

==History== On 24 March 1905, Dr. Ralph C. Smedley, educational director of the Bloomington YMCA in Illinois, organized a club to train young boys and men in public speaking skills. George Sutton, general secretary of the YMCA, named the club "a Toastmasters Club". Following a work transfer to Freeport, Illinois, he expanded the club to include the new location.<ref name="Who"/>

The organization grew out of a single club founded by Smedley on October 22, 1924, at the YMCA in Santa Ana, California, United States.<ref name="OCM1" /> It originated as a set of classes intended to improve the communication skills of the young men under his charge.<ref name="Indie1">{{Cite news |last=Synge |first=Daniel |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/how-to-speak-in-public-1600759.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220621/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/how-to-speak-in-public-1600759.html |archive-date=June 21, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=How to speak in public |date=September 12, 1995 |work=The Independent |access-date=June 14, 2018 |location=London}}</ref><ref name="LAT1">{{Cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-10-29-mn-56025-story.html |title=Smedley: A Quiet Man With Lots to Say About Speech |last=Hamashige |first=Hope |date=29 October 1994 |website=Los Angeles Times |location=Los Angeles |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191125012532/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-10-29-mn-56025-story.html |archive-date=25 November 2019 |access-date=25 November 2019}}</ref> Toastmasters International was incorporated under Californian law on December 19, 1932.<ref name="OCM1">{{Cite news |last=Scott |first=Majorie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PWEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA45 |title=Out of the Past: Toasting the Toastmasters |date=November 1990 |work=Orange Coast |access-date=June 12, 2018 |issue=November 1990 |pages=45–46 |format=Digitised magazine |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref name="KPF1" />

The first international chapter was established in Vancouver, Canada, in 1932. The organization began admitting women in 1973.<ref name="OCM1" /><ref name="LaviolaYears">{{Cite news |last=Laviola |first=Karen |title=A toast to Toastmasters' 65 years |date=October 24, 1989 |work=Orange County Register}}</ref>

In 1999, Toastmasters International (TI) had 170,000 members spanning 68 countries.<ref name="Who"/> By 2016, TI had 345,000 members and 16,000 clubs worldwide.<ref name="blakeHow">{{Cite news |last=Arjan |first= |date=September 7, 2016 |title=Toastmasters International Hits New Milestones |url=https://mediacenter.toastmasters.org/2016-09-07-Toastmasters-International-Hits-New-Milestones?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date= |publisher=}}</ref>{{AI-retrieved source|date=March 2026|checked=no}} By 2025, TI had 265,000 members across 149 countries and 13,833 clubs worldwide.<ref name="Who"/>

==Toastmasters club structure== Toastmasters International uses a local club-based structure, with an average club size of around 22 members. Meetings are held every week or bi-weekly and usually in the evening, although some clubs meet in the morning or afternoon.<ref name="OCM1" /><ref name="Indie1" /><ref name="KPF1">{{Cite news |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LgYEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA17 |title=Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking... |date=April 1970 |work=Changing Times (The Kiplinger Magazine) |access-date=June 14, 2018 |publisher=The Kiplinger Washington Editors |pages=17–18}}</ref> Each club operates as a separate entity with a set of requirements leading to chartered status for them to be recognised as official Toastmasters clubs. The chartered status allows clubs to use the names, promotional material and program of Toastmasters International.<ref name="MPN1">{{Cite news |last=Dewey |first=Larry |url=https://archive.org/download/mpnewsjan1966mont/mpnewsjan1966mont.pdf |title=Score Yourself as a Public Speaker |date=January 1966 |work=Montana Prison News |access-date=June 23, 2018 |volume=VII|issue=1 |pages=51–52 |language=en}}</ref>

Every meeting is based on a set of organized speeches. Speakers are given feedback, often by a more experienced member, who then gives an impromptu speech with constructive feedback based on their performance.<ref name="AMWA1">{{Cite news|last=Delacruz|first=Bernard (PhD)|date=June 2016|title=My Road to Toastmasters|language=en|volume=6|pages=96–97|work=Postscripts|agency=American Medical Writers Association – Pacific Southwest Chapter|issue=44|url=https://archive.org/details/v6n44|access-date=June 22, 2018}}</ref>

Part of the meetings is devoted to Table Topics, which are impromptu speeches that are assigned on the spot by a Topicsmaster. Guests are invited to participate in the Table Topics segment of the club meeting or vote on the best speech.<ref name="OCM1" /><ref name="Indie1" /><ref name="KPF1" />

==Education programs== Toastmasters International aims to build the public speaking and leadership skills.<ref name="AMWA1" />

=== Pathways === The Pathways education system consists of 6 differing paths suited to their needs and requirements, based around ''Public Speaking'', ''Interpersonal Communication'', ''Management'', ''Strategic Leadership'', and ''Confidence''. The available pathways are ‘''Dynamic Leadership, Engaging Humor, Motivational Strategies, Persuasive Influence, Presentation Mastery and Visionary Communication''’. Every path is made up of at least 14 projects.<ref name="BP1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.toastmasters.org/education/pathways|title=Toastmasters International -Pathways Learning Experience|website=www.toastmasters.org}}</ref>

=== Speechcraft === Speechcraft is a 4- to 8-week program intended to develop leadership skills, focus on content development, and participate in speech contests.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last1=Sha |first1=Mandy |url=https://www.amazon.com/CAN-YOU-TOO-Inspirations-award-winning/dp/B0C522W4Z5 |title=If we can do it, you can, too! Inspirations from award-winning speakers & leaders |last2=Lee |first2=Cassandra |year=2023 |isbn=9798379235413 |pages=|publisher=Amazon Digital Services LLC - Kdp }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Toastmasters International -Speechcraft |url=https://www.toastmasters.org/education/speechcraft |access-date=2023-12-23 |website=www.toastmasters.org |language=en}}</ref>

==Public speaking championship== Toastmasters runs an international public speaking championship formally known as the Toastmasters International World Champion of Public Speaking, which is held annually at its International Convention in August.<ref name="MooneyChampion">{{Cite news |last=Mooney |first=Harrison |title=Vancouver lends an ear to world's best speakers; Toastmasters holds 86th convention, crowns new international champion |date=August 28, 2017 |work=The Vancouver Sun}}</ref><ref name="NasirWords">{{Cite news |last=Nasir |first=Noorain |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/dananjaya-hettiarachchi-speaks-on/article6535348.ece |title=Winning with Words |date=October 26, 2014 |work=The Hindu |access-date=June 11, 2018}}</ref><ref name="MurphyFlop">{{Cite news |last=Murphy |first=Dave |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2002/03/20/sometimes-you-can-be-a-successful-flop/ |title=Sometimes you can be a successful flop |date=March 20, 2002 |work=Chicago Tribune}}</ref><ref name="Basheda">{{Cite news |last=Basheda |first=Lori |title=Stand and deliver Speaking Toastmasters select their world champion, whose theme is failure's value. Series |date=August 26, 2001 |work=Orange County Register}}</ref> It started in 1938 and involves over 33,000 participants in 141 countries, making it the world's largest oratory contest.<ref name="NasirWords" /><ref name="BP2">{{Cite news |date=August 2024 |title=Resident of France is semifinalist in the world's largest speech contest |url=https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2024/aug/convention-2024-celebrating-past-and-present |publisher=Toastmasters International |language=en}}</ref> There is a six-month process of elimination to reach the semifinals; in 2018, there were 106 participants who made it that far. There are ten places in the final, and speeches are judged on content, gestures, organization, and style.<ref name="BP2" />

== See also == {{Portal|Education}}

* Association of Speakers Clubs * Communications training * Dale Carnegie * Australian Rostrum * List of recreational organizations * Public speaking * Speakers Bureau

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== * {{Cite book |last=Smedley |first=Ralph |title=The Story of Toastmasters |publisher=Toastmasters International |year=1959 |ref=Smed1959 |author-link=Ralph C. Smedley}}

==External links== {{sister project links|auto=yes}} * {{official website}} * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSohGWyScZc A full Toastmaster meeting (at Toastmasters' YouTube channel)]

Category:Toastmasters International Category:Communication skills training Category:Educational organizations based in the United States Category:International organizations based in the United States Category:International educational organizations Category:Leadership training Category:Non-profit organizations based in California Category:Educational organizations established in 1924 Category:1924 establishments in California Category:Organizations based in Orange County, California