The Gavel - May 2020
To read the TI letter on COVID-19 DTM and ALS extensions, click here To read the TI letter on the International Convention in Paris, click here To get the TI Magazine virtually, click here Click here to read more from D60 | COVID-19 Updates Check on updates regarding District events and other matters of concern to the members of District 60. - DTM and ALS legacy program extended to 2021 - TI International Convention in Paris deferred to 2021(click here for more details) - Access to Pathway's Basecamp extended to June 30, 2020 for members in good standing as of April 30, 2020 - Print delivery of TI Magazine temporarily discontinued as of May, 2020 |
Pathways to Success Jennifer Magee, of the City of Oshawa Toastmasters Club, joined in October 2017-- just before Pathways rolled out in District 60. To select her Path, she used the Online Assessment Tool on the Toastmasters International website which recommended the Leadership Development Path for her. Jenn has completed Level 3 and is currently working through Level 4. Jenn said, “I had no guidance from my club as I was the only member on Pathways as it was new. I muddled my way through, by seeking information from members outside my Club. Initially, I found it frustrating to navigate. With further implementation amongst TM and my club, more training available AND upgrades/changes to make it more user friendly, I am finding it easier to navigate. Jenn added, “I advise other members to visit the site frequently because gaps in access/use tend to make it harder to remember how and where to find things.” To learn more about Pathways and Pathways Trainers, click here | Read the rest of Jenn's story here |
The Online Experience of a New Club: Six Month Old 'Speak Up Centennial' | Toastmasters from the new club Speak Up Centennial (Toronto) put together this collage to encourage it's members during the quarantine. This club is so new that they just held their 25th meeting (and 6 month anniversary) on May 7, yet they reached out to TI Trademarks and Branding for approval - and got it. Dujavanthi Shwetsweare, who spearheaded this initiative, says: "It's a great feeling of accomplishment when [TI] trademarks and branding approved our initiative. Our next baby step is to really come in the magazine for this month of May 2020 which can be fulfilled by YOU." Dujavanthi thanks IT student Jenit Bilakhia for design input and Leadership Academy Architect Magealena Goledzinowska for bringing Toastmasters to Centennial College. What inspired the collage? Most of the Club's members are international students who came to Canada with a great dream. Then the pandemic happened. Classes were halted for a week, then restarted remotely, and work hours were reduced. A general malaise and dismay over what to do next resulted. Some of the Club members don't have a laptop, cellular data or even a good bank account! But nothing stopped them from coming together virtually, by computer or phone, to share their mishaps and joy -- as Toastmasters is a place where leaders are made. The members called each other to ask how they are feeling that day, they started a WhatsApp group to keep motivated and brainstormed about how they can support each other during these quarantine times. The idea that their Club mission is the Club's breath came up and they determined to learn it by heart to enable them to pass this time of lockdown -- that's what this collage represents. The club’s mission is: 'We provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth.' |
The District 60 2020 PR Guide is here! See the guide for advice and direction on: - Admin and Website - Group and Event Websites - Social Media - Local Publications - At Your Venue - TM Websites - Referrals The guide is further broken down by the amount of time and energy available: - Critical - Good - Better - Optimal | Tips are also included on: - Content - How To - Turning guests into members - Virtual Meetings - Reference Links Regarding asking guests to join virtual meetings: - Ask interested parties to complete a Guest Form or Guest Meeting Request Form - Ask for contact information, why they're interested, what do they wish to achieve, where they learned about the Club - Do not post meeting coordinates publicly - Should a guest behave inappropriately, remove them Click here for the 2020 PR Guide Developed by the PR Guide Committee: Julia Lawr, Roman Smolak, Rishi Sethi, Grace Archibald and Vipul Jain. |
The Joy of Online Meetings | Happy smiles on friendly faces. The excitement of seeing each other again. A welcome feeling of normalcy and routine. This is what Club President Susan Domokos' Club ‘Lunchtime Talkers of Durham Region’ experienced after taking the plunge into putting our club meetings online. In Susan’s words: But what didn’t we count on? We’re becoming skillful in online technology, despite ourselves. Young and old, tech-savvy or not. Every one of our members is learning how to speak clearly and professionally in an online medium, and the improvement is staggering. We’re mastering additional skills too: online meeting management and leadership. All of this is what we’ve found to be the joy and unique opportunity of online Toastmasters meetings. How can you implement online meetings in your club, during these ‘interesting’ times? There are three basic phases that can help your club become a beacon of support to your club members and community. Read more about Susan's experience here |
2019/ 2020 Of The Year Awards | It's time to consider nominations for the D60 Of The Year awards. You can nominate D60 members (including yourself) for the Toastmaster, President, Area Director or Division Director of the Year award. Download forms (in Excel) at toastmasters60.com/otyaforms/ and submit between July 1-31, 2020. Should you have questions, email otya@toastmasters60.com. To learn more or to nominate your favourite D60 Toastmaster, click here |
What Do Our Members Say About Meeting Online? I like others were skeptical at first on how Toastmasters could conduct effective online meetings. However, once I have started to attend them, not only have I found them to be a safe and effective forum for us to connect with each other, they are also fun to attend as we learned to use such online features as screen share, virtual background, polling, etc to complement our learning in exciting ways Angela Ho, Toronto #1 Toastmasters Every day brings a new question, a new worry, a new fear about the coronavirus pandemic. But it has also brought us an opportunity to test ourselves and expand into new frontiers of communication online. Admittedly I was a little tentative and apprehensive about meeting, but ultimately inspired and proud of us (Toastmasters) all for logging in, supporting and sharing with one another. I can't wait for next week! Sean Hatchett, VP Education of Roncesvalles Speakers Circle To read more Toastmasters' experiences, click here | A few areas where I've experienced success with my clubs through online meetings: - It allows for members who typically have a busier schedule to attend more often - It allows for members who live further away to attend more often - It challenges members to adapt to a new medium - It opens up opportunities for inter-club collaboration. In area 64, we've already had a joint meeting with Athena Toastmasters from Beijing, with another joint meeting with a German club coming up - Finally, it helps with those who are hesitant to speak in front of a live audience, giving them an easier time to step up and do their ice breakers. James Shi, Humber Shores Club |
INCENTIVES: - Pathways Member Incentives: various awards (pins, notebooks, etc.) for different levels of Path completion - For more on D60 incentives programs, click here. | ONLINE MEETING RESOURCES: - TI article 'It's Time to Meet Online', click here - TI Online Meeting platforms and guidance, click here - TI Online Meeting tips, click here - Zoom Coloured Timer Backgrounds, click here |
SPECIAL INCENTIVES FOR CLUB SUCCESS: - Club Buddy Program: Add 5 new members to the Little Buddy Club between Feb 1 and Jun 30, 2020 to receive a US$25 TI gift certificate for each Club - For more on D60 incentives programs, click here | UPCOMING EVENTS: - Virtual Round 1 Club Officer Training (June 15-18, 2020), click here. - Go to Upcoming Events Calendar |
What's Happening in D60 Newly chartered club Pitch Please (shown), Aspiring Royal Toastmasters, Advanced 60 Speakers Club, North York Project Management, Deer Park Toastmasters Click here for more happenings |