What to do

• The first step to build rapport with Clubs is to make contact and introduce yourself to the Club President.

• Build relationships with Club Presidents, Club Officers and members.

• Find out Who > What > When > Where > How to communicate with your Clubs Officers.

• Set up a time to talk about the Club with the Club President.

• Ask the Club President when the best time would be to visit the Club (allow 2 weeks notice).

• "Listen" - Ask lots of questions about the Club, Members and what support they would like.

• Discuss Club Success Plan and role in Area Council and Area Success Plan. 

• Ask the Club if you could have a copy of their Club Success Plan to help produce the Area Director Club Visit Report. 

• Provide key dates/deadlines: Club Officer Training (COT), when to submit Club Proxies (August Annual Toastmasters International Convention), Contests Information, 2nd round COT, Council Meetings (Area/District), and the Annual D70 Conference.

• A good relationship with the Club President will help you to follow-up to ensure Club Officer lists are submitted on time (May-June), that Club Officers attended the COT Round 1 (June-August) and COT Round 2 (November-February). Minimum 4 officers are required to attend (ideally all 7). Dues renewals to be submitted by the end of October and end of March (minimum of 8 members are required or it will not be a club in good standing; out of those eight three need to be a Club President, Club Secretary and a VP (VPE, VPM, or VPPR), and three must be renewing members. 

• Chase up attendance to vote at Council Meetings. 

• Check to make sure their Meeting and Contact Details on "Find a Club" and social media are correct. 

ABOUT CLUB OFFICER TRAINING (COT)

• Club Leadership Training (COT ) takes place twice (2) per year:  1) COT (between June through August) and 2) COT from November through February.

• Club Officers are required to attend both a COT sessions. 

• Minimum of four (4) Club Officers are required to attend to get credit in the DCP. 

• Ideally all seven (7) Club Officers should attend and are recognised by the District through special awards for attending the COT in both rounds. Clubs that do have a high attendance record tend to be ones that have longevity by giving back what they learned to their members. It is an opportunity to network with other club officers and learn new things. 

• COT sessions are for all Club Officers, whether the Club Officer is brand new or a seasoned Toastmaster. Each Club Officer must attend their 'role-based' training session (e.g. President + Secretary if they do both roles at a club(s)). 

BENEFITS

• The more experienced Club Officers contribute to the new members. 

• New members bring fresh ideas and perspectives to training. 

• Network with other Club Officers and those in your Area.

• Develop a support network of Judges and Officials for your contests, and guest speakers. Later you will need a Judge from other Clubs in your Area Contest, as well as Contest Officials and Test Speakers. 

REGISTRATION & RECOGNITION

• Should you host a COT, it is important to record who attended and send those to the PQD asap; including those from other Districts (please note District Name so the PQD can email the information to their District's PQD).

• Attendance is recorded and submitted to Toastmasters International which gets updated as having attended. This is marked off on the TI Dashboard under the Distinguished Club Program.   

• Recognition for attending COT will go towards the education program for members to achieve a DTM.

• Recognition for attending COT also goes towards the Distinguished Club Program Goals. Club Officers must have attended both sessions for Clubs to be recognised. A minimum of four (4) club officers are required to attend both sessions.

HOSTING COT 

• District 70 hosts COT sessions at the beginning and end of each term.

• Some Division Directors host a minimum of one session in each term - please consult with your Division Director on what is available. 

• Area Directors may also host individual sessions as an Area or with Clubs individually within the timeframe - consult with your Division Director and PQD. 

• Other events and/or guest speakers can be invited to be part of the Area and Club COT sessions. Some also run a forum or an Area Council Meeting after or before a session.

• The COT sessions are to be presented within the parameters set by Toastmasters International. In the first round, COT must cover each Club role - Club Officers in more than one role must attend sessions covering each of those roles. COT in the 2nd round is more flexible. The Content may need to be addressed, however, how it is presented may be more creative and cater to clubs' needs in the area. 

• Area Directors are accountable for their Club Officers to attend both COT sessions; however they do not have to be the presenter - they can enlist the support of District Officers, Division Directors and other qualified COT presenters.

PROMOTION

• If you do choose to run an Area COT session, email information to webmaster@toastmastersD70.org to place on the District 70 website. 

• District Officers can publish information in the District 70 Facebook Group, through their Club, Area and Division digital media channels. 

TRAIN-THE-TRAINER

• COT Train-the-Trainer sessions are conducted to help those qualified to conduct COT training. 

• There is plenty of support and resources available for COT presenters.

• For details about COT visit the District 70 Club Leadership Training site. 

What is an Area Council Meeting? 

• The Area Council oversee matters and support related to Clubs in the Area. 

• As an Area Director, you are the Chair and facilitate these meetings. 

• It is a meeting of Club Presidents, VPEs and VPMs and any Area Assistants within an Area (often all Executives are invited as well but only Presidents, VPEs and VPMs have voting rights). Area Directors may recruit others to support them in their role, e.g. Assistants. 

• Organise an Area Council Meeting (find out when the best time is to meet and where). Decisions are made to plan the year ahead for collective programs (e.g. Area Contests, PR/Marketing initiatives, sourcing judges/test speakers/officials for Club Contests, etc.). It is also a place for Clubs in the Area to meet, share information, collaborate and learn from each other. Leadership growth often occurs outside the club and the comfort of familiar settings. 

• Only the Club President, VPE, and VPM are allowed to vote.  

• Provide choices on when, where, what time and how to meet as an Area Council. Minimum of two is required but often there are anywhere between 2-4 (plan contest for first half in July, and then the contest for second half between November-January). Another may be held to discuss or vote on Area related matters (e.g., Club Alignment, new Area Directors, etc.). 

• Send out an Agenda prior to the meeting *minimum 2 weeks before) and welcome all incoming Club Officers.

• Set up the year - decide as a team when, where, how often to meet and how to communicate. Some meetings can be held virtually or via telephone/WhatsApp, before COT or a workshop. Some Councils have held meetings prior to visiting their respective clubs for their club meetings, then were invited to attend each other's club meetings.

• Develop your team - share what is hot, what is not, issues to resolve and goals.

• Set an Area Council goal and vision for the year. 

• Set up expectations and accountabilities - discuss what responsibilities each Club/Officer has. 

• Develop your Area Success Plan with feedback from the Area Council and have everyone sign it. 

• Encourage Clubs to submit their Club Success Plan to you by the end of July. 

• Minimum two (2) official visits required in year (set-up both dates with each club for first half and latter half in year) so they can be prepared for your 'official' visit. 

• If able to visit the clubs outside of official visits to build rapport. Ask Club Presidents 2 weeks prior. Find out some key dates (e.g. anniversaries, recognition, special events). Much of this can be found by downloading the database within Leadership Central > District Central > Reports (original join year for members and charter year for clubs) and Dashboard for any Pathways or Club Membership achievements.

• Clubs often invite Area Directors to key functions (note key dates), e.g., during elections to faciliate the process, to conduct a Moments of Truth survey, to a Changeover dinner to induct new Club Officers. Ask Clubs for key dates, e.g. Contests, Elections, Changeovers, Milestones they need help on. See Club election script and club officer installation script. 

• Give them a draft of the Area Club Visit Report to let them know what you will be submitting to TI so that can provide updates.

• Club Contests: Find out potential Club Contest dates so Clubs and Areas can help each other out with Judges, Officials and Test Speakers if needed. (e.g. each club provides 1 judge for a club contest, a judge and a staff role for an Area contest).

• Set up Area Contests:  Type, Host, Venue, When, Where, Time, Budget, Contact. See Contests Menu. 

• Share key dates for CLT and ACLT, Meetings & Voting (TI & District), campaign deadlines. Note Calendar and Deadlines. 

• Share Marketing, PR and Club Support information and resources with clubs. Contact the PRM and CGD for more information.

• Ask if they know of anyone who would be interested in a future District or Staff role. Start finding your successor straight away.

• Send out minutes after the meeting. 

BEFORE THE VISIT

• Contact: the Club President to discuss the Club (build rapport, listen and ask questions).

• Questions:  What's working, not working, key issues, goals, best time to contact and meet.

• Club Visit: Set up two "official" Area Director visits (ideally have an informal meeting in July; visit the club or Club Executives before conducting an 'official' visit).

• Share: Area Director visit report (research and add information from the TI Dashboard, or based on feedback from the Club Officers - leave the rest blank to discuss later). 

• Download: Moments of Truth (MOT) and Club Quality questionnaire to help guide what to observe during the visit. 

• MOT: Some clubs may ask Area Directors to conduct a brief educational on Moments of Truth (MOT).

• RECOGNISE: Find out if any members or the club is to be recognised for anything (e.g. Triple Crown, DTM, 7of7 Club Officers trained, 10-20-30-40-50 year anniversary of membership, club or member anniversaries).

• ASK: District if there are any promotional or club support materials you can give clubs. 

• REVIEW: Club Support items are available in case you get asked.  Not to worry - you can always find out later by discussing this with your Division Director.  Just let clubs know you are new and will find out the information and get back to them. 

• NOTE: Key dates to share during the visit: E.g. Area, Division, District Contests, District Conference, CLT/ACLT, Workshops, Campaign deadlines, anniversaries and special events. Share flyers where available. You will be provided with a District Calendar. 

DURING

• Arrive early to mingle with the members. 

• Get to know the Club Officers and members (suss out potential District leaders to approach), what help individual members need to achieve education goals (e.g. DTM, HPL).

• Encourage members to work on Pathways Projects (District has projects available for them to do).  

• Make sure to wear your Toastmasters Badge and dress appropriately. Area Directors represent the District and Toastmasters International. (Avoid casual t-shirts, sloppy joes, exercise pants).

• Photos are often taken - make it special for them (not in daggy sweats - wear something that will go with their milestone by dressing minimum smart casual or if visiting a corporate club wear a jacket). Seek permission first if you are asking for photographs to publish. 

• Area Director Address:  Be prepared to make a short speech or 5-7 minute speech (you can have someone evaluate it). Keep evaluation forms handy. 

• Recognise the strengths of the club or achievements.

• Share key dates, deadlines and flyers if available. 

• Tool kits: If you have a a toolkit to carry to clubs with some goodies to give away clubs really appreciate it - e.g. PR material, templates, ribbons, recognition awards, District 70 presentation folders, Membership kits, Visitor kits, or to recognise special achievements by members, etc. 

• Most of all - ENJOY!  You will learn so much in these visits - it is one of the most rewarding experiences to get to know other clubs and members. 

AFTER

• Thank the Club President and members for their hospitality.

• Follow-up with any queries, action items or resources.

• Share feedback on the draft Area Director Club Visit Reports and let them know when that will be submitted by. 

• Submit the Area Director Club Visit Reports within two (2) weeks of the official visit to Toastmasters International in Leadership Central > District Central. [login required]

• TIP:  Make sure to "save" the report often as it can freeze and you may lose all the information you added. If you need help just ask. 

• If you have any queries or issues contact your Division Director. 

• Set yourself up for the year in the lead up to and in your first Area Council Meeting. 

• Let Club Presidents know what some of the questions you will ask about the Area Contest so they can be prepared to answer after talking to their Club Executives before the Area Council Meeting. Most would be familiar with the process or would get guidance from their predecessors. 

• WHY: Share why Area Contests are held and how the Area Council is responsible. It provides opportunities for members to excel, for the audience to learn from experienced speakers and step up in leadership roles, opportunity for members to go beyond their clubs, and engage with a larger and unfamiliar audience. 

• WHO: Who will host the Area Contest? Find out who has hosted in the past, so every club has a chance to share hosting. Some Clubs may not want to host at all - consider joint venue/hosting. Get some dates/hosts for the second round as well to prepare in advance. 

• WHAT:  What type of contest will be conducted? Humorous & Table Topics or all four Humorous, Table Topics, Evaluation and International Speech Contest in a day. Some may choose two contests divided between second and third quarter of year; others may choose to host all four on one day. Some may want to have other novelty contests, e.g. Tall Tales, Debate. The International Contest is the only one that MUST be held. 

• TIP:  Try and hold all four (4) contests by the end of the year (it gets busy in the new year with training, etc.).

• WHEN:  When and what time will the contest be held? Note some clubs' culture or religion will avoid certain days (e.g. Friday and Saturday, corporate clubs often prefer a week night after work). During COVID-19 restrictions apply and online contests are held. Contact your Division Director or District Technical Team if you need help on how to set up an online contest. 

• WHERE: Where will the contest be held?  E.g. Host club venue, does it require venue hire or is it free?, is it close to public transport, is there ample parking, is it accessible for people with disabilities, how easy is it to load/unload equipment, does it have catering so people can arrive early and eat or buy snacks and drinks nearby. 

• HOW:  Who will help with the Contests and how? What type of help can the Area Director or Host club receive? Whose name will be on the Flyer as a contact (name, email, phone); how much and what details to submit as entry fees (e.g. $10 deposit to a nominated club bank - BSB/AC# required, free of charge, or pay cash on the day). If depositing into a bank account, a Club's bank account must be used.  Personal accounts cannot be used.

• CATERING:  The objective is to ensure as many members can attend therefore keep costs to a minimum. Some clubs do provide catering. Minimum required is water, in particular for contestants. 

• BUDGET:  Set the budget for the Area Contests - decide as an Area how to cover the costs (it should be cost neutral). Some clubs donate/contribute an amount (e.g., $60) to cover venue hire, trophies/engravings, printing, etc.). Some offer to host and cover everything, including catering; some just do the minimum at no cost. Others charge at the door to cover expenses (Note: contestants do not pay.) It depends on your Area and what resources are available to the Area. 

• CLUB OFFICIALS:  Recruit Contest Officials during club visits (e.g. 2 per club) OR ask a club to provide two officials each who are not competing to step up and volunteer for roles. Find at least one Judge each from each Club.  Network to find more officials to support you in the future (e.g., if you are unable to officiate or help at a contest, someone to stand in for you). 

• CROSS PROMOTION:  Share Contest information, flyer and resources with clubs so they can help cross promote the contest with their members. Great to share flyers when visiting clubs and also recruit club officials. Area Club visits are a great way to recruit a couple helpers from each club. 

• DISTRICT PR:  Provide Area Contest information to the Division Director and District Webmaster at webmaster@toastmasteresd70.org  - add a 'save the date' until further details are known. Canva.com is a great free online design tool to create flyers and social media posts. 

• PREPARE:  Prepare in advance - start getting folders together, print forms in advance where required, organise recognition (trophies, certifiacates), create your runsheet and Agenda.  

• See "Contest" Site for details. 

• Work with your Division Director and co-Area Directors and enjoy watching your members excel as speakers and communicators.