Visit the Toastmasters Speechcraft Website
The Speechcraft program allows experienced Toastmasters to present the fundamentals of public speaking to non-members. It can be offered as an integral part of your club meeting or as a seminar-style program presented outside the club. It can be conducted in four, six, or eight sessions.
Conducting Speechcraft inside the club setting makes it easier for participants to become members.
Conducting Speechcraft outside the club setting can lead to the formation of a new Toastmasters club.
The Speechcraft digital experience was created for experienced members to help others become Speechcrafters—essentially the best communicators they can be! You will be given materials to help you recruit five people and be the coordinator of a four, six or eight-session Speechcraft event that will boost your participants’ confidence and improve their communication, public speaking and leadership skills—all within the safe Toastmasters environment. Plus, Toastmasters members who become coordinators can earn DTM credit! Watch a webinar for guidance and tips on how to get started, then order your Digital Bundle today!
For more information about the Digital Speechcraft courses visit: https://speechcraft.toastmasters.org/
For the Club and its Members
Opportunity for the experienced Toastmasters to present fundamentals of public speaking to non-members in a Toastmasters Club-style setting.
Promotes the club to the wider community and corporate clubs.
Many Toastmasters have indicated they joined the club after participating in a Speechcraft program.
Provides club members with opportunities to practice their communication, evaluation and leadership skills.
It increases interest and attendance among all members.
It is a great team building exercise for the club.
For Attendees
Attendees practice and learn communication, evaluation and leadership skills.
Attendees get a “taste of Toastmasters”
The program is available to many non-members to participate in as time is dedicated to them.
It helps the attendees transition to membership to a Toastmasters Club easily.
In-house or external
Speechcraft conducted inside the club setting makes it easier for participants to become members.
Speechcraft conducted externally or in a group setting, e.g. a civic club or company’s location. can lead to these groups and companies forming their own club to suit their culture and needs.
Can you imagine a world without communication?
Since 1924, Toastmasters has become synonymous with excellence in public speaking; the Speechcraft digital experience is an important part of that journey.
As the Speechcraft name implies, it was created to help people turn their speaking skills into a craft—to help them advance their professional and personal communication through a condensed version of the Toastmasters member experience. In a four-, six-, or eight-week program, participants, who are called Speechcrafters, have the opportunity to boost their confidence as they improve their communication, public speaking, and leadership skills, all within the safe environment of a Toastmasters club. After completing the course, they may be inspired to continue their Toastmasters journey by visiting or joining a club.
For quick synopses on Speechcraft content, access the Speechcraft Content Overview now!
For clubs that have held Speechcraft sessions, please note important changes announced by Toastmasters International.
As with any volunteer organisation, there are conditions to be met regarding fundraising to protect the not for profit status of the organisation with the government and tax authorities.
NOTE: Protocol 8.2: Fundraising: This protocol outlines the approved use of Speechcraft, the Success Communication Series, the Success Leadership Series, the Better Speaker Series, the Successful Club Series, and the Leadership Excellence Series.
Under Protocol 8.2, clubs may continue to conduct these programs as fundraising activities and charge participants a materials fee. In keeping with the spirit of Toastmasters International and the goal of fundraising, this Protocol now also specifies that, “The fee charged participants must not exceed the cost of 12 months Toastmasters International membership dues.”
Speechcraft fees should not exceed $90 USD. Please view the current USD exchange rate for details (Google “exchange rate converter.” Things to note are:
Allow for fluctuations in exchange rates (noted by TI):
“The only restriction, per Protocol 8.2, is that the amount cannot exceed 12 months of membership dues or $90 USD. The exchange rate is out of all of our control, and the best way to proceed is to take a more conservative approach in determining the amount charged to the participants. The protocol states that the amount cannot exceed 12 months, which means a lower amount can be charged. This conservative approach should accommodate any fluctuations in exchange rates and ensure the club conducts Speechcraft in accordance with the protocol.”
District 90 recommends: Speechcraft participant x USD90 x date of invoice conversion rate USD to AUD (even allowing for daily changes it will never be perfect) = rate of AUD charge per person.
The product or service rendered is donated or voluntary.
No individual member profits financially from the activity.
The profits are used to further Toastmasters International’s tax-exempt purpose.
Funds must be used for the benefit of the members of the club conducting the Speechcraft.
Any violation of this Fundraising Protocol is subject to disciplinary action.
Exceptions: Should a club experience extenuating circumstances, special permission may possibly be granted for higher fees.
- Obtain a copy of the Speechcraft Coordinator Quick Start Guide, Speechcraft Content Overview guide and Speechcraft Participant Quick Start Guide.
- Review the Speechcraft Program YouTube video
- Buy the Speechcraft Digital Bundle
- Produce a package for each participant which includes: handouts, tips, workbook, evaluation forms, and note-taking paper.
- Get members to support you – you cannot do this alone. Your members will need to give up their time to volunteer to help run the workshop. Make sure to get their permission first and that you have enough support to run the course.
- Ask yourself, “If I was paying for this course, am I getting value?” Keep that in the back of your mind. It will drive decisions on everything.
- Arrive early, ensure the course starts on time as that is what they are paying for, be prepared and professional, prepare a professional presentation pack which includes templates, “how-to” information and guides – material they can build upon.
- Provide receipts for any payment.
- Provide Certificates upon completion. Ask if anyone would like a letter to their employer.
- Choose presenters with good presentation skills and knowledge on the subject; make sure they are given ample time to prepare and practice and have the appropriate equipment set up ahead of time (e.g. Power Point Projector).
- Pick a time of day that will ensure attendance for that audience. (Absences dent the energy and the benefit.)
- Ensure all speeches keep to the allocated times so that the course will run smoothly.
- Plan ahead and adapt the course to participants’ needs and strengths. Be flexible.
- Enthuse individuals to present their weekly speech in whatever shape or form they want. (They can use the same speech repeatedly but deliver it in different styles to lesson the writing load.)
- Seek commitment from the participants – they must be dedicated to the course for both preparation and meetings. For corporate clubs, they may get support from their management.
Housekeeping:
- Share where amenities are located.
- Be prepared for changes to meetings and the layout of the venue.
- Start on time (therefore arrive a bit early).
Introductions:
- Get attendees to introduce themselves by stating their name, work/study.
- E.g. and one fantastic thing that happened in the past week.
- Establish ground rules for mutual respect:
- Remind everyone to turn their mobile devices off or on silent.
- If they need to make a call please ask them to leave the room to do so.
- Avoid entering or leaving the room while a participant is presenting.
- During evaluations, wait for the person to finish – see them afterwards if you have comments.
- Be encouraging.
Requirements to complete the course or session
- Provide them with their learning outcomes:
- Handouts and homework
- Some corporations may require attendance records.
- Completion event
- Certificates and/or letter to employer
- Attendee round the room feedback
Speechcraft FAQs
To purchase a Speechcraft Digital Bundle and start a Speechcraft event, visit the Toastmasters online store at Speechcraft-Digital-Bundle. To learn more about Speechcraft, visit the Speechcraft Gateway at Speechcraft.toastmasters.org.
Speechcraft coordinators are Toastmasters members who have their club’s support.
Speechcraft is not available for purchase by non-members. Members cannot coordinate a Speechcraft without the support of their club.
Visit the Speechcraft Gateway at speechcraft.toastmasters.org. Coordinators and Speechcrafters will both log in from this page.
There are no hard-copy manuals. The Speechcraft program is designed to be accessed online.
There are some resources within the coordinator and Speechcrafter materials that can be printed if desired, but the entire program is not available in print.
Each Speechcraft Digital Bundle includes five participants. To conduct an event with more than five participants, coordinators will need to purchase multiple Digital Bundles.
Participant seats cannot be purchased individually—only in bundles of five.
Each Digital Bundle will be added as a separate event on the Speechcraft Gateway and the Speechcraft Portal on Base Camp. However, they can be held together at the same time and location.
Coordinators can add participants to their Speechcraft event as soon as the event is created on the Speechcraft Gateway. However, coordinators are not required to add participants as soon as the event is created, nor are they required to add all five participants at once. Participants can be added on the Event tab at any time, as long as not all Speechcrafter seats for the event can be filled. This is true even after the start of the event date.
Each Digital Bundle (group of five participants) is treated as a separate event.
This means that if you purchase multiple bundles, each bundle has to be added individually. If you purchased multiple Digital Bundles in the same order, you would use the same order number to redeem all bundles.
Events can have the same location and time, and can be run together, but they will need to be entered as separate events on the Speechcraft Gateway. They will also show as separate events on your Event tab on the Speechcraft Gateway, and they will be pushed separately to Base Camp.
Once you have added each of your events, all events will be available on the Events tab. To view an event and add participants, use the drop-down menu under “Current and Future Events.”
First, confirm that you logged in to Base Camp through the Speechcraft Gateway to access the Speechcraft Portal on Base Camp. You’ll know you’re logged in to the Speechcraft Portal if you see the words “Toastmasters Speechcraft” in the upper left corner. If you see “Toastmasters Pathways learning experience,” in the upper left corner, go to the Speechcraft Gateway and access Base Camp from the Event tab.
Your Speechcraft materials will be assigned on Base Camp within 24 hours of when you redeemed your Digital Bundle on the Speechcraft Gateway. If it has been more than 24 hours and you still do not have access to materials on your Learning page (Transcript) on Base Camp, please contact the Speechcraft team at speechcraft@toastmasters.org or +1 720-439-5050.
The Speechcraft digital experience will be very familiar to members who have participated in Speechcraft in the past—either as a coordinator or a participant. The speeches are the same, or similar, and the educational presentations also mirror the Speechcraft Toastmasters members know and love.
The primary difference, other than the fact that it is delivered online, is a greater emphasis on applying feedback and completing speeches. Clubs and coordinators are always at their discretion to decide how Speechcraft is delivered, but delivering speeches is how Speechcrafters learn. Being evaluated and discussing how feedback can be applied is at the heart of the Toastmasters learning experience, Pathways, and now, Speechcraft.
Yes. Clubs who are conducting a Speechcraft with more than five participants may want to schedule multiple Speechcraft events. These events could be conducted simultaneously, as one Speechcraft.
Yes. You can be both a coordinator and a participant in the same Speechcraft event. However, when you add yourself as a Speechcrafter, you will need to use an email address that is different from your coordinator login. Speechcraft logins are connected to your email address, which means you can only use an email address once for your event. To add yourself as a Speechcrafter, simply use a secondary email address.
If you are unable to use your Speechcraft Digital Bundle, you have a few options. You can gift the digital bundle to another coordinator in your club, or provide it to another club altogether.
If you would prefer to receive a refund, you can return your Digital Bundle within 12 months of purchase, as long as event dates have not been added on the Speechcraft Gateway. To request a refund, email supplyorders@toastmasters.org. Include your member number and the order confirmation number received when you purchased your Speechcraft Digital Bundle. Once you have added event dates and times on the Speechcraft Gateway, you are no longer eligible to receive a refund. If you’ve redeemed the digital bundle and scheduled your event, you can transfer the event to another coordinator in your club. To do so, email Speechcraft@toastmasters.org and be sure to include your member number, the name of the club for which you are conducting the Speechcraft event, and the name and member number of the coordinator who will be taking over your event.
Yes, gift certificates can be used to purchase a Speechcraft Digital Bundle. To redeem your gift certificate, mail it to Toastmasters International, along with a completed order form.
Toastmasters International, 9127 S. Jamaica Street, Suite 400, Englewood, CO 80112
One of the primary goals of Speechcraft is building relationships. When you have a difficult Speechcrafter, addressing their concerns is important, but not to the detriment of other participants, visitors, and volunteers. Encourage participants to hold questions until a break or the end of the session. Be sure to remind the Speechcrafter to share their feedback or concerns with their guide during the workshop portion of your session. Work with the difficult Speechcrafter’s guide to engage in a supportive conversation about each party’s concerns and collaborate as a team to resolve any issues or challenging behaviors. (For more information on the responsibility of guides, please review your Coordinator Introduction project.)
Remember that challenging Speechcrafters provide you with an opportunity to build your leadership skills. Be respectful and expect the same of everyone participating in your event. Encourage your guides to review the Toastmasters Pathways Mentor Program for suggestions on supporting short-term mentees. These projects are available on the Pathways portal on Base Camp to members who have completed Level 2 of their path.
If you have feedback on the educational content, the digital platform, or your experience as a coordinator, make sure you’ve marked complete your Final Checklist and submitted the feedback survey. If you have additional feedback you were not able to include in the survey, please contact the Speechcraft team at World Headquarters by calling +1 720-439-5050 or emailing Speechcraft@toastmasters.org.
Members who coordinate a completed Speechcraft event are eligible to receive credit toward their Distinguished Toastmaster award.
When your Speechcraft event is complete and you are ready to apply credit, contact the Toastmasters Speechcraft Team by calling +1 720-439-5050 or emailing Speechcraft@toastmasters.org.
Once you have completed your Speechcraft event, launch the “Final Checklist” item on your Learning page (Transcript) on Base Camp. Review the checklist and confirm that you have finished all tasks listed. Then, click the “Mark Complete” button on the Final Checklist.
After the page refreshes, you’ll notice that the button next to the Final Checklist reads “Evaluate.” Click this button to share feedback with Toastmasters International about your experience coordinating a Speechcraft event.
Once you’ve submitted your feedback to Toastmasters, return to your Learning page (Transcript) and click the “Active” dropdown menu. Then, select “Completed.” Your Final Checklist item will show on your completed page with a “View Certificate” button. Click this button to view, download, and print your certificate.
Remember that your Speechcraft access on Base Camp expires 90 days after your event ends, so you’ll want to make sure you download and save your certificate.
If your Speechcraft event includes more than five people, you should purchase multiple Digital Bundles and hold this as one event. You would then get credit for conducting one Speechcraft.
Yes. As long as a coordinator has a group of Speechcrafters assigned to them on the Speechcraft portal on Base Camp, share the responsibilities, and meet all coordinator requirements, they are eligible for credit toward a Distinguished Toastmaster award. This is true even if the group they are assigned to coordinate is part of a larger Speechcraft event. Keep in mind that meeting all requirements includes tracking completions and effectively managing the group on Base Camp.
Your Speechcraft materials will be assigned on Base Camp within 24 hours of when you registered. If it has been more than 24 hours and you still do not have access to materials on your Learning page on Base Camp, please contact the Speechcraft Team at Speechcraft@toastmasters.org or 720-439-5050.
Base Camp and your Speechcrafter Learning will remain available to you for 90 days after your final Speechcraft session. After 90 days, your Base Camp login will expire and you will no longer be able to access your learning.
When you first login to the Speechcraft Portal on Base Camp, the “Surveys to Complete” section will include four items: Self-Assessment—Before; Self-Assessment—Midway; Self-Assessment—After; and Feedback Survey—Speechcrafter.
The self-assessments are designed to help you gauge your communication skills when you begin and how your confidence grows during your Speechcraft course. You’ll complete the first self-assessment at the start of your Speechcraft; the second one, part-way through; and the final one, once your Speechcraft has concluded. Your coordinator will see your assessment results, and you’ll be able to compare your own responses using the Speechcraft Dashboards.
The Feedback Survey is your opportunity to provide Toastmasters International with feedback about your experience as a Speechcrafter. Your coordinator will not see your responses to this survey, and the Speechcraft team at Toastmasters will use your input to help with future enhancements.
You earn badges when you complete speeches in Speechcraft. Your badges will be awarded automatically when your Coordinator marks certain speeches complete on Base Camp. Other Speechcrafters can also award you badges to acknowledge your growth and hard work. All badges will display on your My Badges page.
Your certificate will be awarded when your coordinator marks complete your Speechcrafter Certificate item on Base Camp. This item is included in the Coordinator Tracking Curriculum on Base Camp. When your Speechcraft is concluded, your Coordinator will mark the Speechcrafter Certificate complete. After they have done so, the button next to this item will read “View Certificate.” Click this button to view and download your certificate.
Make sure to download and save your certificate right away. Access to your course login on Base Camp will expire 90 days after your event ends. If your event has concluded and your Speechcrafter Certificate item in you Coordinator Tracking Curriculum does not read “View Certificate,” contact your coordinator and ask them to mark this item complete.
To confirm that your coordinator awarded credit for all speeches you completed, log in to the Speechcraft Portal on Base Camp from the Speechcraft Gateway and select the “Open Curriculum” button next to the Coordinator Tracking item on your Learning page. This curriculum includes an item for every Speechcraft speech. Make sure that the status for each speech you gave shows as “Completed.” If any speeches you presented are not showing as completed, contact your coordinator. When you are ready to apply your work in Speechcraft toward credit in the Toastmasters education program, Pathways, contact the Toastmasters Speechcraft Team by calling 720-439-5050 or emailing Speechcraft@toastmasters.org.
When you join a Toastmasters club, speeches presented during Speechcraft provide credit in the Toastmasters education program, Pathways, as shown below. To ensure you can get credit, confirm that your coordinator has marked your speeches complete on Base Camp.
- 0 Speeches: No Credit
- One (1) Speech: “Ice Breaker”
- Two (2) Speeches: “Ice Breaker” and “Researching and Presenting”
- Three (3) Speeches: “Ice Breaker”, “Researching and Presenting,” and the first speech in “Evaluation and Feedback”
- Four (4) Speeches: Level 1 completion
- Five (5) Speeches: Level 1 completion and “Introduction to Toastmasters Mentoring”
- Six (6) Speeches: Level 1 completion, “Introduction to Toastmasters Mentoring,” and one (1) Level 3 Elective
- Seven (7) Speeches: Level 1 completion, “Introduction to Toastmasters Mentoring,” and two (2) Level 3 Electives
The contact information for your Speechcraft Coordinator is available on your Speechcraft Event page. This is the first page that you will see when you log into Speechcraft.toastmasters.org.
Contact your coordinator to ask if they are issuing refunds and if they plan to host another Speechcraft event soon. If they do not have plans to host another Speechcraft event, there may be other clubs close to you who will be holding one. Ask your coordinator if they can connect you with a club or Toastmasters leader who could help you find a Speechcraft event.
Base Camp is the portal where your Speechcrafter materials are accessed. On Base Camp, you’ll be able to access your Speechcrafter learning, download resources, complete self-assessments, and receive badges and a certificate.
Base Camp also allows you to interact with others in your Speechcraft by sending messages and awarding badges.