Toastmaster's provides an environment to practise and improve public speaking, however it also presents an opportunity to develop many other skills. North Melbourne prides itself on its relaxed friendly atmosphere.  

Public Speaking: There are 10 speeches in the Competent Communicator manual, given to new members in order to achieve the Competent Communicator award (C.C.).

These speeches are:

No	Project Name	Project Objectives
1	Ice Breaker	* Begin speaking before an audience. * Discover speaking skills you already have and skills that need some attention. Time: Four to six minutes.
2	Organise Your Speech	* Select an appropriate outline which allows listeners to easily follow and understand your speech. * Make your message clear, with supporting material directly contributing to that message. * Use appropriate transitions when moving from one idea to another. * Create a strong opening and conclusion. Time: Five to seven minutes.
3	Get to the Point	* Select a speech topic and determine its general and specific purposes. * Organise the speech in a manner that best achieves those purposes. * Ensure the beginning, body and conclusion reinforce the purposes. * Project sincerity and conviction and control any nervousness you may feel. * Strive not to use notes. Time: Five to seven minutes.
4	How to Say It	* Select the right words and sentence structure to communicate your ideas clearly, accurately and vividly. * Use rhetorical devices to enhance and emphasize ideas. * Eliminate jargon and unnecessary words.  Use correct grammar. Time: Five to seven minutes.
5	Your Body Speaks	* Use stance, movement, gestures, facial expressions and eye contact to express your message and achieve your speech's purpose. * Make your body language smooth and natural. Time: Five to seven minutes.
6	Vocal Variety	* Use voice volume, pitch, rate and quality to reflect and add meaning and interest to your message. * Use pauses to enhance your message. * Use vocal variety smoothly and naturally. Time: Five to seven minutes.
7	Research Your Topic	* Collect information about your topic from numerous sources. * Carefully support your points and opinions with specific facts, examples and illustrations gathered through research. Time: Five to seven minutes.
8	Get Comfortable with Visual Aids	* Select visual aids that are appropriate for your message and the audience. * Use visual aids correctly with ease and confidence. Time: Five to seven minutes.
9	Persuade with Power	* Persuade listeners to adopt your viewpoint or ideas or to take some action. * Appeal to the audience's interests. * Use logic and emotion to support your position. * Avoid using notes. Time: Five to seven minutes.
10	Inspire Your Audience	* To inspire the audience by appealing to noble motives and challenging the audience to achieve a higher level of beliefs or achievement. * Appeal to the audience's needs and emotions, using stories, anecdotes and quotes to add drama. * Avoid using notes. Time: Eight to ten minutes.

Members take on these speeches at their own volition at their own pace.

Leadership: There are 10 projects in the Competent Leader manual, also given to new members in order to achieve the Competent Leader award (C.L.).

These projects are:

Number	Project Name	Project Fulfilment
1	Listening and Leadership	Develop and practice listening skills by serving in any three of these four roles:     * Evaluator     * Table Topics Speaker     * AH Counter     * Grammarian
2	Critical Thinking	Develop and practice critical-thinking skills by serving in any two of these three roles:     * Evaluator     * Grammarian     * General Evaluator
3	Giving Feedback	Develop and practice feedback skills by serving in these three roles:     * Evaluator     * Grammarian     * General Evaluator
4	Time Management	Develop and practice time-management skills by serving as timer and any one of these four roles:     * Toastmaster of the Day     * Speaker     * Grammarian     * Table Topics Master
5	Planning and Implementation	Develop and practice planning and implementation skills by serving in any three of these four roles:     * Speaker     * General Evaluator     * Toastmaster     * Table Topics Master
6	Organising and Delegating	Develop and practice organisation and delegation skills by serving in any one of these roles:     * Help organise a club speech contest     * Help organise a club special event     * Help organise a club membership campaign or contest     * Help organise a public relations campaign     * Help produce the club newsletter     * Assist the club's webmaster
7	Developing Your Facilitation Skills	Develop and practice facilitation skills by serving in any two of these four roles:     * Toastmaster     * General Evaluator     * Table Topics Master     * Befriend a guest at a club meeting
8	Motivating People	Develop and practice motivational skills by serving in three of these roles, at least one of which is marked with an asterisk:     * Membership campaign or contest chairman*     * Public relations campaign chairman*     * Toastmaster     * Evaluator     * General Evaluator
9	Mentoring	Develop and practice mentoring skills by serving in one of these three roles:     * Mentor for a new member     * Mentor for an experienced member     * Guidance committee member for someone who is working on a High Performance Leadership Program project
10	Team Building	Develop and practice team-building skills by serving as both Toastmaster and General Evaluator, or by serving in one of these roles:     * Club membership campaign or contest chairman     * Club public relations campaign chairman     * Club speech contest chairman     * Club special event chairman     * Club newsletter editor or webmaster

 

Community Leadership: Roles, and information on how to fill them, extend from Club level all the way up to Toastmasters International, and beyond.