The Newcastle Toastmasters Club
We maintain an innovative and diverse culture as the original Toastmasters club in the Hunter.
Club Number: 00001121. District 90, Eastern Division, Area 15. Charter Date: Apr. 1, 1966.
Opportunities for achievement
Our club supports the professional and personal growth of people from all walks of life.
We develop public speaking skills that are useful for:
Job Interviews
Learn to answer questions on the spot, structure your message about your strengths, and put your best foot forward.
Keynotes
Practice some or all of a keynote speech. Gain the general techniques that contribute to a successful presentation.
Personal Branding
Refine your personal brand by adopting confident communication skills and clarifying your message.
Leadership
Practice presenting to a group, guiding a team, and chairing meetings. Gain frameworks for constructive evaluations.
Membership Management
Experience the skills that are relevant to leadership roles in any membership group, association, or not-for-profit organisation.
Overcoming Fears
Become proud of your ability to face fears such as public speaking.
Members help each other to grow skills
All members develop skills including:
General public speaking techniques
Powerpoint presentations
Impromptu speaking
Constructive feedback and evaluation
Parliamentary procedure for community groups
Learning how to use e-learning platforms
Members can commit to leadership roles to gain experience in areas such as:
Delegation and team leadership
Practical experience in public relations
Project management
Setting goals
Budgeting
Event management
Writing agendas and minutes for meetings
Proofreading and editing
Training
You can learn these public speaking skills and more
Vocal Variety
Alter your expression by changing your voice's pitch, tone, and emphasis.
Selecting Words
Successful language can be understandable, relevant, and concise.
Body Language
Your gestures can illustrate points and connect with your audience.
Structure of Speeches
An effective structure will help audiences to follow your logic, purpose, and call to action.
Purpose
Do you want your audience to take action, understand information, be inspired, or feel entertained?
Visual Aids
You can practice using visual aids, including slides, whiteboard, posters, and handouts.
“We provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth.”
— Newcastle Toastmasters Club Mission, following Toastmasters International.
Unity with an international organisation
The Newcastle Toastmasters Club is part of Toastmasters International, a not-for-profit organisation known for public speaking and delivering so much more.
When you join the Newcastle Toastmasters Club, you become a part of the broader Toastmasters community. We are in Area 15, which spans from Merewether to Charlestown. Our area hosts contests where club contest winners can compete with the top speakers in the area. From each contest, one person will then represent the area at an Eastern Division Contest - with members from across Newcastle, the Hunter, and the Central Coast.
These events are opportunities to meet people and gain diverse perspectives. Division contest winners compete at a District 90 Conference, bringing together clubs from as far as Sydney and the north of NSW. At the district level, the International Speech Contest winner then progresses to compete at the Toastmasters International Convention. All members can be in the audience of these contests and help where needed. You can mingle with people who have been doing public speaking for years or even decades. Joining the Newcastle Toastmasters Club is a powerful first step towards getting involved at various levels in Toastmasters International.
Events
We hold social events for our members and the broader Toastmasters community.
We host formal events, such as Christmas and Club Anniversaries, and we also organise casual gatherings in the area.
At the 2022 Christmas Party, we welcomed special guests - including Region 12 Advisor Michael Said (DTM) and Gary Wilson (OAM PID PDG DTM).
Club members held an informal picnic with Area 15 during the summer of 2022- 2023 in Newcastle. In December 2023, we gathered for a casual Christmas party at the Carrington Bowling Club.
Get started
FAQs
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We are planning to host short courses later in 2023-2024.
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When you visit a regular club meeting, you can expect a friendly welcome and a program that aligns with Toastmasters International.
Everyone has the opportunity to participate in Table Topics, an impromptu speaking session. This is completely optional. You can then listen to the club’s Business Session, which includes announcements and reminders. A few members will present prepared speeches. You will see other assignments in the meetings, such as speech evaluators and the grammarian. All attendees can learn by listening to these analytical short presentations.
You are welcome to eat dinner with us at the Souths bistro before the meeting. We also stay for a while after the program concludes, so chat and mingle.
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You will need to pay fees to Toastmasters International and also to the Newcastle Toastmasters Club. The TI fees get you set up with the program and system. Club fees contribute to ongoing costs, such as room hire.
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We encourage visitors to attend three meetings before then joining our club. The Vice President of Membership will supply a membership form, outlining details. We will then send the details to Toastmasters International and provide resources for you to get started.
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The Newcastle Toastmasters Club was chartered on the 1st of April, 1966.
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The Newcastle Toastmasters Club meets at Souths Merewether.
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The Newcastle Toastmasters Club hosts meetings where members practice public speaking skills. The club also runs short courses separately from the meetings.