Vice President Education

The Global Toastmasters Resource

The second-highest ranking club officer, Vice President Education (VPE) is responsible for planning successful club meetings, so that each member has the opportunity to achieve his or her educational goals. Presides at club- and executive committee meetings in the absence of the club President.

The main function of the Vice President Education is to educate club members in the Toastmasters Educational Program, facilitating their progress and encouraging them in their efforts.

Toastmasters International describes the role:

The office of Vice President Education is a critical office in a Toastmasters club. The Toastmasters educational program is the heart of our organisation and it’s through the work of the Vice President Education that the mission of the club is accomplished. As Vice President Education, you are responsible for providing and maintaining the positive environment and the programs through which members can develop their communication skills. With learning opportunities, dynamic meeting programs, and a friendly atmosphere, your club will have satisfied members and continue to grow. Your efforts also help the club become a Distinguished Club, which should be an annual goal. [“When You Are the Vice President Education”, Toastmasters International]

Contents 1 Duties 1.1 Outside of the club meeting 1.2 At the club meeting 2 Club Meeting Director 3 Training Manager 4 Mentoring Champion 5 Speech Contest Co-ordinator 6 Achievement Publicist 7 Executive Member 8 Resources 8.1 Toastmasters International

[edit] Duties

[edit] Outside of the club meeting

• Plan club meetings, completing schedules and assignments at least three weeks in advance and confirming each schedule five to seven days before the meeting;
• Promote participation in the educational program.
  • Get commitment from each new member to achieve the Competent Communicator award within one year or less. Schedule new members to speak accordingly.
  • Get commitment from each Competent Communicator to earn the Advanced Communicator Bronze award within one year, and from each Advanced Communicator Bronze and Advanced Communicator Silver recipient to earn the succeeding award within one year.
  • Get commitment from each member to earn the Competent Leader, Advanced Leader Bronze, and Advanced Leader Silver awards.
  • Track all members' progress toward these goals;
• Orient each new member to the Toastmasters Educational Program within two meetings after joining;
• Assign every new member a Mentor;
• Act as right hand to club President when setting up and implementing a Club Success Plan;
• Keep track of the club's status in re the Distinguished Club Program;
• Attend club Executive Committee meetings and preside when the president is absent;
• Attend district council meetings and vote the club's proxy vote at regional and International business meetings;
• Attend district-sponsored Club Officer Training;
• Arrange for a replacement if unable to attend club meeting;
• Prepare successor for office.

[edit] At the club meeting

• Assign each new member to be a Table Topics Speaker at the first meeting after joining, to one of the Meeting Roles at the third meeting or earlier, and to give The Ice Breaker project at the fourth meeting or sooner;
• Ensure that a club member conducts the Successful Club Series programs Evaluation To Motivate, The Moments Of Truth, Mentoring, and Finding New Members For Your Club at least once per year;
• Monitor club performance quarterly in cooperation with the club President;
• Initial speakers’ Project Completion Records and ensure eligible members fill out their Award Applications or apply for awards online;
• Preside over the meeting when the president is absent.

[edit] Club Meeting Director

• Develop Programs for meetings
  • Assign roles
  • Prepare Agendas
    • Set 3 weeks in advance, Confirm 5 days in advance
  • Make Interesting Agendas -- for a sample, click Ideal program
  • Have Reserve Speakers, or a Stand-by Educational Speech
  • Hold special events – a BBQ meeting, a Demonstration meeting, a Speakers Night, a People’s Podium in a Park, a Dinner meeting, a 500th meeting Gala!
  • And… make all speeches Manual speeches!
  • Maintain a Guide for Meeting Activities – for Members & Guests

[edit] Training Manager

• Understand Toastmasters Educational Program
  • Monitor progress
  • Endorse Manuals
  • Recognise milestone completion (CC, ACs, CLs, ALs, DTMs, 1/2 CCs, 1/2 CLs)
  • Promote participation
  • Work with Advanced members to achieve Leadership goals.
• Generally CCs, ACBs, ACSs etc. can be obtained in 1 year. Members should review where they are each year, and set such goals. Capture them in a member survey.
• Advocate participation in Development activities
  • Leadership roles
  • Better Speaker Series
  • Successful Club Series
  • Leadership Excellence Series
  • Youth Leadership Program
  • Speechcraft
  • Speakers Bureau
  • Accredited Speakers
• And also Area-, Division- or District-run Training opportunities
  • Running Contests
  • Contest Judging
  • Programming Workshops
  • Suggested periodic programmes
    • Moments of Truth within the 1st 3 momths of the year (suggestion)
    • Run Educationals from Successful Club Series, Success/Leadership Series, and Success/Communication Series each month.

[edit] Mentoring Champion

• Oversee Mentoring program if in operation.
• Assign a Mentor at new member’s induction—A mentor helps member through first few speech assignments and Leadership manual tasks.
• Ensure objectives of the Mentoring program are achieved
• Run an educational session on how your club implements Mentoring.

[edit] Speech Contest Co-ordinator

• Enlist a Contest Committee, and Contest Chair people
• Attend Contest training, or refer to material available
• Make sure the incoming Vice President Education is well-equipped to co-ordinate future contests
  • Pass on Contest Materials (and don't forget any special Club Trophies ready for the next contest!)

[edit] Achievement Publicist

• Educational Achievements in Club Newsletter
• Inform Area/Division/District as appropriate
• Hold Recognition Ceremonies

[edit] Executive Member

• Key member of Executive Committee and “Area Leadership Team”
• Preside when President is absent
• Track and Drive progress towards Educational Goals of the Club and its Members.
• Support liaison between Club, Area, Division, District
• Participate and Vote in Area, Division, District and International matters
• Help identify potential future Executive members
  • Particularly the next Vice President Education! (and employ them as an assistant during your term of office!).

[edit] Resources

• Toastmasters Educational Program
• The ideal program will give you some ideas.
• Try themes for excellent ideas on giving your meetings extra life
• Evaluate your performance under Ideal Club
• There is plenty of software and web sites around to help make your job easier (none for the Mac yet that I've been able to find). The District 40 web site is fabulous: http://www.d40toastmasters.org
• The Excellent Pocket Guides] from the Gaverliers Toastmasters Club
• The Excellent GoalCards from the Gaverliers Toastmasters Club
• Speech programme overviews from [District 4]

[edit] Toastmasters International

• Officer’s Manual—When you are the Vice President Education (Catalog No. 1310B)
• Club Officer Training—Vice President Education (Catalog 1311a.2), Slides (Catalog 1311a.2)
• 1311D – Motivating Achievement Club Leadership Training Program
• TI Items 306-309 - Member Progress Charts
• TI Item 1314 – Patterns in Programming
• Better Speaker Series
• Successful Club Series
• Leadership Excellence Series
• Competent Communication Manual
• Competent Leadership Manual
• Speech Contest Manual (Catalog 1173)
• Speech Contest Rules (Catalog 1171)

Suggestion: Print this Wiki entry as a guide/handout for Club Officer Training.

--Erichv 04:22, 21 Sep 2005 (EDT) --ianm 04:30, 19 Sep 2007 (AEDT)