A Journey Through Time

Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua
I walk backwards into the future
with my eyes fixed on my past

D72 Conference

3 - 5 May 2024

Tūhura Otago Museum, Ōtepoti Dunedin

Members of the Public

Grow confidence and self-belief

Overcome your fear of public speaking

Think fast on your feet

Feel relaxed answering questions on the spot

Master storytelling

Learn how to engage and captivate your audience

Impact your community

Meet and bring people together

Entrepreneurs and Professionals

Practice delivering pitches

Develop clear and effective communication

Ace interviews

Learn to be articulate and illustrate your knowledge

Lead and inspire team members

Build confidence delivering instructions and motivation

Network with professionals

Improve your ability to meet and engage new contacts

Why Toastmasters?

Full Support and Mentorship

A mentor is available for additional guidance or encouragement, if required. No matter where you start, the challenge is to reach your potential.

Supportive Peer Learning

Each meeting, members perform speaking and leadership roles and receive constructive feedback. This highlights strengths and areas for improvement.

Self-paced Learning Programme

The Pathways Learning Experience is an online interactive series of projects focusing on communication and leadership skills. Accessible all-day, every-day, members learn at a pace that suits them and matches their lifestyle.

Club Leadership Roles

Members receive opportunities to lead at and beyond club-level. Each role carries with it a different set of challenges and skills to learn. These include Club President, Event Planners, Contest Organisers, District Officers, Training Presenters and much more.

How to Join

Find a club

Find Toastmasters clubs near you by visiting Find a Club in the Menu.

Pay them a visit

Contact local clubs or just turn up and see which one suits you best. All guests are welcome.

Become a member​

Return a completed membership form with the one-off joining fee and subscription fee. *Fees vary from club to club.

Give your Icebreaker

When signed up and ready you break the ice by delivering your first speech - the Icebreaker.

Find your voice today

What happens at a Club Meeting?

Hear Jayden from Nga Manu Reo Club walk you through what happens at a typical Toastmasters meeting.

Play Video

Prepared Speeches

Delivering prepared speeches allows the speaker to gain valuable experience and get "stage time." At the same time, the audience can be informed, inspired and often entertained. Come and share your ideas, opinions, stories or practice for that wedding, workplace presentation or simply build your self-confidence.

Impromptu Speeches

Impromptu Speaking is creating speeches or answer questions "off the cuff" without time to prepare. Often humorous, Toastmasters' Table Topics teaches members to think on their feet and learn how to stay calm and think while communicating clearly and confidently.

Encouraging Evaluations

All speaking and leadership roles receive an evaluation. This is an opportunity to learn from others' experience and discover blind spots as well as acknowledge your strengths and get tips on how to improve. Giving and receiving feedback is a valuable skill with many practical uses at home, sport or at work.

Become a confident communicator

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Have more Questions?

Toastmasters is excellent value for money.

Membership is usually less than the price of a coffee per week and offers the following benefits:
  • Improved public speaking and leadership skills
  • Greater self-confidence and self-awareness
  • Personal and professional growth
  • Networking with new people and potential friends
  • Regular 1-2 hour meetings
  • Learn in a safe, supportive and friendly environment
  • Regular encouragement and constructive feedback
  • ‘Pathways’ Online Learning Experience
  • Access to comprehensive Members Resources 

*Fees vary from club to club depending on services and facilities

remember the past

Since 1905

Toastmasters began as a series of speaking clubs organized by Ralph C. Smedley during his time working for the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) in Bloomington, Illinois, United States. As director of education at the YMCA, Smedley saw a need for the men in the community to learn how to speak, conduct meetings, plan programs and work on committees, and he wanted to help them.

Smedley decided to organize a club where they could learn these skills in a social environment, and the men responded well to the concept. He named the group the Toastmasters Club; “toastmaster” was a popular term that referred to a person who gave toasts at banquets and other occasions.

The first unofficial Toastmasters meeting was held on March 24, 1905. Much like Toastmasters meetings today, the participants took turns leading and speaking at each meeting. Smedley and the older, more experienced men evaluated short speeches, while the younger men were invited to join in the evaluations. However, as Smedley was offered positions at other YMCAs in Illinois and later, in San Jose, California, the fledgling clubs lacked leadership and did not flourish.

Impromptu Speeches

Impromptu Speaking is creating speeches or answer questions "off the cuff" without time to prepare. Often humorous, Toastmasters' Table Topics teaches members to think on their feet and learn how to stay calm and think while communicating clearly and confidently.

Encouraging Evaluations

All speaking and leadership roles receive an evaluation. This is an opportunity to learn from others' experience and discover blind spots as well as acknowledge your strengths and get tips on how to improve. Giving and receiving feedback is a valuable skill, with many practical uses at home, sport or at work.

Prepared Speeches

Delivering prepared speeches allows you to gain valuable experience and get "stage time." At the same time, the audience can be informed, inspired and often entertained. Come and share your ideas, opinions, stories or practice for that wedding, workplace presentation or simply build your self-confidence.

Pay Them a Visit

Contact local clubs or just turn up and see which one suits you best. All guests are welcome.

Become a Member

Return a completed membership form with the one-off joining fee and subscription fee.

Deliver a Speech!

When signed up and ready you break the ice by delivering your first speech – the Icebreaker.

Find a Club

Find Toastmasters clubs near you by visiting Find a Club in the Menu.

Pay Them a Visit

Contact local clubs or just turn up and see which one suits you best. All guests are welcome.

Become a Member

Return a completed membership form with the one-off joining fee and subscription fee.

Deliver a Speech!

When signed up and ready, you break the ice by delivering your first speech – the Icebreaker.