In 2013 Toastmasters International, announced an increase in memberships for the 20th year in a row. The organization, founded over 89 years ago, added 10,000 members last year.
Toastmasters offers a great mix of the new and the old. They are planning to revitalize the education curriculum that will take advantage of technology such as mobile web applications and video. Toastmasters also offers a group of supportive members, who help each other achieve communication and leadership skills.I am proud to be a member of Toastmasters and am pleased that in the March issue, an article I wrote “Tech Tools for Mentoring” will appear in Toastmaster magazine. The article covers how video-chat, Skype and Google Hangouts can be used for mentoring and Toastmasters club communication.
In 2012–2013, Toastmasters formed 1,236 clubs, bringing the total to more than 14,350 and boosting memberships to more than 292,000 worldwide. Eight new member countries: Afghanistan, Antigua/Barbuda, Cambodia, Colombia, Dominica, Israel, Laos, and Rwanda were added.
Toasmasters is not for the older crowd, a recent Toastmasters survey showed 25.4% of members are between the ages of 18 and 34.
Toastmasters Chief Executive Officer Daniel Rex noted that “speaking well face-to-face is more relevant than ever in this digital age.”
Often, current and prospective members use social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to engage with Toastmasters International and learn tips on how to become better communicators and leaders.To learn more about Toastmasters International, visit www.toastmasters.org.