Toastmasters Continues To Expand In Bermuda

The Bermuda Toastmasters Club is inviting more people on the island to take part in its endeavor to hone public speaking skills, with Bermuda soon to host four clubs.

Corville Hylton, President of the Bermuda Toastmasters Club, said, “If you are like most people, public speaking is not your favorite pastime. Yet survey after survey shows that presentation skills are crucial to success as you navigate your way around at work, school or home. The person with strong communication skills has a clear advantage over their tongue-tied colleagues especially in this present competitive job market.

“Many people pay thousands of dollars for seminars to gain the skills and confidence necessary to face an audience. But there’s another option that is less expensive and held in high regard in business circles around the world – Toastmasters.

“The Bermuda Toastmasters Club is a caring, safe, friendly and mutually supportive environment where members come together to practice and hone speaking and leadership skills through constructive evaluation and mentoring. At our club you will experience humor, warmth and camaraderie at every meeting.  We are one big, happy family.

“It is also a place where enduring friendships are forged while taking the Toastmasters journey together.

“Toastmaster members practice by giving impromptu talks on assigned topics, conduct meetings, serve as officers in various leadership roles and learn parliamentary procedure. As our valued guest, you are not obliged to participate unless you wish to do so, you may just simply sit and observe how we operate.

“As a club, we want to make more members of the community aware of the great benefits of Toastmasters.  Consequently, we will leave the comfort of our meeting space at the Chamber of Commerce where we meet every first and third Tuesdays between 5:30-7pm and take our program out in the community.

“We are looking at starting with our children. Teenagers are often more comfortable communicating electronically than speaking face to face. Yet many events in teenagers’ lives require interpersonal communication skills to be resolved successfully. Now, more than ever, they need guidance in developing their communication and leadership skills.

“We have the answer, it’s called Toastmasters Gavel Club. Through this club participants learn to overcome nervousness when speaking before an audience; organize and present ideas logically and convincingly; listen carefully to others’ ideas; participate in and lead group discussions or meetings; and offer advice to help others improve their speaking and leadership skills.

“All these skills are necessary for earning a living in today’s competitive job market, but are also essential for maintaining healthy personal relationships and achieving academic goals in middle and high school, as well as college.

“Hence, we are looking at taking the Toastmasters program into two schools this coming school year. We will be establishing a Gavel Club in a middle and a high school.  The process has already begun and they are as anxious to have us as we are to join them.

“In addition, we want to take the program to the community by teaching The Elements of Public Speaking through the Community Education Program during the fall term this year.

“Toastmaster is gaining strides in Bermuda and in short order we will be up to four clubs on Island [ two restricted and two open]. We are excited about this new prospect and already have plans to incorporate the other clubs into our programs.

“We are looking at a Speech Contest in which we will ask the other clubs to participate and also an Awards Banquet next year to culminate an eventful toastmaster year.”

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