Welcome to Encinitas Toastmasters!
Optimize your Public Speaking Skills in a Warm, Welcoming Setting
Did you know that public speaking is the number-one fear in North America? Encinitas Toastmasters is here to help and the ideal place for you to improve your public speaking confidence while making friends and having fun.
We are the best club in North County San Diego — honored as Top Club Northern Division for the last 3 years. We’d love for you to join!
How do I join or visit a meeting?
Encinitas Toastmasters is now holding meetings in person again! Our meetings are held at The Hive on Thursdays at 7pm.
Guests are welcome to join. Please contact Cindy McNab, VP of Membership, at encinitastoastmasters@gmail.com for details on visiting a meeting.
It’s easy to get started!
More details on joining Encinitas Toastmasters >
Why should I join Encinitas Toastmasters?
For the last three years, Encinitas Toastmasters has been recognized as the top Toastmasters club in North County San Diego! We have been a President’s Distinguished Club for the past 11 years.
Toastmasters is a safe place for new speakers to learn and for seasoned speakers to take their mastery to a new level.
Give more powerful presentations.
Lead meetings and participate more confidently.
Speak more smoothly off the cuff.
Our Toastmasters say that the skills they’ve learned in our club have helped them advance their careers, promote their businesses, and improve interactions with friends and family. We’d love to have you in our club!
What happens at a Toastmasters meeting?
Most of our weekly meetings have a standard agenda to streamline our activities and stay on schedule. Still, we like to have fun at our meetings, so sometimes we switch it up!
Roles
All members are encouraged to sign up online for a different role each week, giving everyone an opportunity to speak and practice listening at each meeting. Examples of roles are Jokemaster, Timer, Grammarian, and Table Topics Master.
Speeches
Each week, a few of our members give interesting speeches that they rehearse ahead of time. These prepared speeches range from icebreakers (a four-to-six minute mini bio) by new members to exciting multimedia presentations by seasoned speakers.
Evaluations
One of the best ways to learn to improve one’s speaking is from the evaluations of the prepared speeches. We use the “sandwich” method, which starts with praise of the speech’s highlights, then moves on to constructive comments, and finishes with more positivity.
Table Topics
A favorite part of our weekly meeting is Table Topics. This is a segment where we practice speaking off the cuff or spontaneously for a brief period: 45 seconds to one minute, 15 seconds. Table topics often generate lots of laughter and applause.
Will I need to speak as a guest?
Guests do not need to speak, yet are given the opportunity to do so during our Table Topics section. Guests also briefly introduce themselves at the beginning of our meeting, and later briefly comment on their experience at the end.
Does Toastmasters have an education program?
The educational program is the heart of every Toastmasters club. It provides members with a proven curriculum that develops communication and leadership skills one step at a time, with many opportunities for awards and recognition along the way.
Pathways
You start with Pathways, which is an online program that takes you through a series of prepared speeches (you choose the topics) where you focus on a different aspect of speaking with each speech, including organizing your speech, using vocal variety, body gestures, using visual aids, etc.
After completing your path, you will have learned the tools of public speaking and be more confident and comfortable with speaking in front of a group.
What about mentorship?
Every Encinitas Toastmaster is paired with a mentor to guide them through their journey.
We can’t wait to meet you!
Being a member of Toastmasters International involves more than just showing up at meetings and giving a speech now and then. Membership in Encinitas Toastmasters is about being part of a friendly, supportive group who provides a safe, comfortable place to practice and improve communication and leadership skills. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will become with speaking in front of any audience.
Ready to visit a meeting? Find out more here >
