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You're listening to the Talkative Toastmaster podcast. I'm your host, melanie Surplus. In this podcast, we explore how Toastmasters can help you to polish your public speaking skills, communicate with confidence and amplify your authenticity. You'll hear from my fellow Toastmasters and I how this global organization has impacted our lives for the better and how it could impact yours. Now let's get talkative. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to episode 50.

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This week, we're diving into the world of two of Toastmasters' most powerful and transformative programs Speechcraft and the Youth Leadership Program. If you've ever been curious about how to build public speaking skills, or if you know young people who could benefit from developing confidence and communication skills, these programs are tailored to meet those needs. In this episode, we'll cover what each program is, who it's designed for and the benefits participants gain from attending them. Whether you're interested in improving your own public speaking skills or empowering the next generation, you'll find plenty of insights in today's episode. So let's get started. I first wanted to do a brief recap, because it's been a while since I explicitly talked about what Toastmasters is, and in this 100th anniversary year of Toastmasters, I feel we could keep reminding people about what it is and how long the organization has been around. So Toastmasters International is a non-profit organization that has been helping people improve their public speaking, communication and leadership skills since 1924. Through its network of clubs worldwide, it offers a safe and supportive environment where people can practice public speaking skills, gain constructive feedback through the evaluation process and learn leadership skills in a structured, goal-oriented format. And there are clubs all around the world. So Toastmasters developed both the speech craft and the youth leadership programs as short-term, specialized initiatives to meet the different needs of different groups of people. While the typical Toastmasters club experience offers an ongoing, long-term commitment, these programs are more intensive and time-bound experiences, so they have a start and an end point and a run over as we'll talk about in a minute either a couple of weeks or a couple of months. They're designed to get participants up and running with essential communication and leadership skills in a condensed timeframe, and so let's take a look at each program in a little bit more detail.

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The Speechcraft program is a structured, short-term public speaking course designed to help adults develop foundational public speaking and communication skills. Typically, this runs between four to eight sessions, each session lasting around one to two hours. Now, this can either be held in person or online and can be adapted to a range of settings you know whether it's in a corporate boardroom or a community center, church or virtual space. And, unlike a full Toastmasters membership, speechcraft doesn't require long-term commitment. It's a fast-track path for people who want to gain confidence in speaking and leadership skills in a short period of time, and during the sessions participants get hands-on experience in crafting and delivering speeches, conducting evaluations and even participating in impromptu speaking exercises. So it very much follows a standard Toastmasters agenda and format and the types of skills we learn, but it's just in a compressed period of time. So speechcraft is ideal for adults who are new to public speaking and want a structured introduction. They may also want to gain specific skills for a job or a community role that is going to require communication skills. They may be looking for a way to practice and build confidence quickly without committing to long-term membership in Toastmasters, and they may be the type of people who more benefit from a small group, hands-on learning environment. And so this program is frequently used by companies and organizations as a team building or professional development tool. It's also popular among people in community organizations, non-profits and professionals who just want to enhance their speaking skills but have limited time. So the benefits of attending a speech craft program are very similar to the benefits of actually joining Toastmasters.

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But let's just cover them off again. Firstly, speechcraft really helps to build foundational speaking skills. It covers essential topics like how to organize your speeches, vocal variety, body language and storytelling all really important elements of public speaking and participants practice these skills by giving prepared speeches and they receive feedback from other Toastmasters, members and mentors. Secondly, speechcraft can really help to enhance confidence and reduce anxiety. We all know the stats about public speaking and how. It's often touted to be one of the greatest fears for people in the world, and public speaking can be intimidating. But Speechcraft provides a safe, supportive environment where the participants can face their fears. As participants practice more, they start to feel more comfortable expressing their ideas and their confidence grows with each session.

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Thirdly, speechcraft encourages constructive feedback and self-reflection. As with Toastmasters, in speechcraft constructive feedback is a core component. Each participant receives evaluations on their speeches, which helps them to identify their strengths and weaknesses and areas for improvement. So this feedback fosters self-awareness and accelerates growth. Fourthly, speechcraft helps to develop leadership skills. So, in addition to public speaking, speechcraft encourages leadership. Participants will often take on roles like Toastmaster of the Day, timekeeper or Evaluator, and these roles help them to learn how to manage time, give constructive feedback and support their peers, and obviously these are valuable skills that can very well transfer to the workplace or community. Fifthly, speechcraft provides a gateway to full Toastmasters membership. Many people who complete speechcraft decide to join a Toastmasters club afterwards. By offering a taste of what the Toastmasters experience is like, speechcraft often motivates people to keep going on their journey of public speaking and leadership.

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Now the Youth Leadership Program is a special initiative by Toastmasters International which is aimed at helping young people, usually between the ages of 11 and 17, to develop their communication and leadership skills. And this program holds a special place in my heart because this was the program that introduced me, while I was in high school, to Toastmasters. So my very first experience of the Toastmasters environment and processes were through a youth leadership program held at my school, during school hours and, I think, probably while other people were doing sport, and that was when I really found a passion for this type of public speaking and creating speeches. And it was that experience that certainly reminded me of the benefits of Toastmasters when I decided to join the organisation after I'd finished university. Like Speechcraft, the youth leadership program is typically short term and again running over six to eight sessions, with each session lasting one to two hours. And this again is really focused on empowering young people, so young adults to express themselves clearly, make sound arguments and gain confidence in group settings. And when you see kids in this environment over a period of weeks you can really see the difference in their confidence improve. They get decent feedback, they get support and people cheer what they have to say, and it's such a supportive environment. Now the Youth Leadership Program is ideal for middle school, high school students who want to improve their speaking and leadership skills. Also just young people generally who are involved in community organizations, student councils or clubs that require presentation skills, and teenagers generally interested in building confidence, whether that's for future careers, education or social settings.

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Back in episode 46 and 47, I touched on the gavel clubs, which are another logical extension of the youth leadership program. They're whole clubs dedicated to kids and I spoke with Sally Turner, who runs one of the local gavel clubs in Brisbane. But the youth leadership program is where all of that begins and the benefits of this particular program are again that it builds communication skills early. It gets young kids really thinking about how to structure a speech, how to make eye contact, how to use gestures and how to project their voice effectively. Learning these skills early gives them such a valuable foundation that they can use throughout their education and careers.

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Secondly, this program really helps to boost their confidence and reduces shyness. This program really helps to boost their confidence and reduces shyness. So many young people feel nervous about speaking in front of others, especially as they're starting to present in school, and often our experiences in school and getting up and presenting for the first few times can have a dramatic impact on how we go ahead and do that in our adult lives. So again, through this program, participants really can practice in a supportive group setting, which helps them to become more comfortable speaking up and sharing their ideas. And this is so important for the youth of today who are becoming the leaders of tomorrow. And this confidence often spills over in the other areas of their lives, like participating in class discussions or taking on leadership roles in their extracurricular activities.

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Thirdly, the youth leadership program encourages active listening and constructive feedback. So, in addition to speaking, as active listening and constructive feedback. So in addition to speaking, participants learn the importance of listening actively and providing constructive feedback. And these skills not only help them to become better communicators, but also to foster empathy and understanding obviously qualities that are essential in any teamwork or collaborative environment that are essential in any teamwork or collaborative environment and it also helps to develop their friendships and social skills. So the program fosters a very supportive, non-competitive atmosphere where young people can just connect with peers who are also working to improve their communication and leadership skills, and many participants form friendships that last well beyond the program, and it's another way of finding others who share similar goals and interests.

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As I said, this program holds a special place in my heart, and if your child has the opportunity to do a speech craft sorry, youth leadership program course, I would highly recommend it. Now, the impact of strong communication skills cannot be overstated. Both speech craft and youth leadership program address a growing demand for people who can communicate clearly, think critically and inspire others. Whether it's for a new manager who needs to lead a team, or a high school student preparing for university interviews, the ability to speak clearly and confidently while connecting with others is crucial, and what's especially valuable about these programs is their inclusivity and accessibility. You don't need to be a Toastmasters member or a seasoned speaker to participate. The programs offer a safe, encouraging environment where anyone, regardless of their background, can start learning and improving.

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So how do you get involved in these programs, or how do you get your child involved in these programs? Firstly, you can look at finding a local Toastmasters club, and you can do this through the find a club website on toastmastersorg. Many Toastmasters clubs offer these programs periodically. They're not tending to be run regularly, but you can check the Toastmasters website or contact your local club to see when the next program may be available. You can also speak with community organizations. So many speech, craft and youth leadership sessions are organized in partnership with schools, libraries and community centres. These organisations often co-host the sessions and help to bring the program to a wider audience.

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Thirdly, you may find online options. So, again, a Google search of Toastmasters clubs in your area may turn up these programs for you. And, particularly since the pandemic, many clubs have begun offering speech, craft and youth leadership program sessions online just to cater for people who can't get to clubs or regular meetings, and this can be a great option if you live in a remote area or prefer virtual learning. And fourthly, you can contact Toastmasters International. So if you are a teacher, youth leader or organisational leader. You may want to partner with Toastmasters International to bring one of these programs to your community or school, and Toastmasters provides the materials and guidance to get you started on this.

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So, in summary, the Toastmasters, speechcraft and Youth Leadership Programs are more than just courses. They are transformative experiences that equip participants with actual life skills. So, in summary, the Toastmasters, speechcraft and Youth Leadership Programs are way more than just courses. They're transformative experiences that equip participants with life skills actual life skills they can use. I know this was true for me. I know that my participation in the Youth Leadership Program as a high school kid definitely helped my confidence and piqued my interest in pursuing what has become a lifelong partnership with Toastmasters. From mastering the art of public speaking to cultivating leadership abilities, both programs are tools for personal and professional growth For adults who want to communicate with impact and young people preparing to become tomorrow's leaders. Speechcraft and the Youth Leadership Program offer paths forward that are both accessible and impactful.

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I hope this episode inspires you and if you have kids or are looking again to improve your own skills and don't want to commit right up to the full Toastmasters program, I definitely recommend exploring these, doing a search and seeing if you can find one in your local area. Just remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and for many, that step is finding the courage to stand up, speak out and lead with confidence. If you're ready to unlock your potential, consider joining a Toastmasters club near you. Check out the find a club link on the Toastmasters international website at wwwtoastmastersorg. It's worth visiting a couple of different clubs as a guest to see which club best suits you. If you do take the leap and visit a meeting, I would absolutely love to hear your experience. Feel free to message me at talkativetoastmaster at gmailcom or tag me in the comments if you found this podcast on YouTube, facebook, instagram or Twitter.

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Thanks for listening to today's show. Head to talkativetoastmastercom, where you'll find the show notes for this and all other episodes, as well as links to some awesome Toastmasters resources. If you found value in today's content, I'd really appreciate if you could share it with friends and colleagues who may be interested or leave a review on iTunes. This helps more people to find us. Until next time, remember the words of Brian Tracy your ability to communicate with others will account for 85% of your success in your business and in your life. Have a great week.