Checklist: Club Visit

Benefits of club visits

An effective club visit can bring several benefits including improved club performance, increased member engagement, enhanced leadership development for club officers and access to Toastmasters materials and resources.

Area Directors benefit by improving their communication skills and leadership skills, enhancing their knowledge of Toastmasters and building a network that can lead to further opportunities for collaboration and growth.

About this checklist

This checklist provides guidance to Area Directors about how to plan, prepare for and perform club visits that are beneficial to the club and other clubs in the Area.

Refer to the Toastmasters International manual Serving Clubs through Visits for more information.

Note that although club visits are the responsibility of area directors, they can also be performed by Division Directors and Assistant Area Directors.

The checklist

Plan

Schedule your visit

Give everyone time to prepare

Contact the club President and Vice President Education at least one month before your planned visit. Request a speaking slot on the agenda

Record the visit date

Record the commitment

Update District Central to record the date of the scheduled visit. This will automatically send useful information to the club about what to expect

Ask for information

Ask for the latest copy of the Club's Success Plan and an update on their goals. Ask the club President about special awards and celebrations: Pathways levels, personal achievements, anniversaries etc. Ask about any specific challenges that the club faces, such as low participation or attendance, not enough visitors or lack of engagement with the education programme

Prepare

Review the TI dashboard & Distinguished Club Plan

Review the club's Distinguished Club Plan and progress on the Toastmasters International dashboard. Are they on track? Identify people on the Educational Achievements list that should be recognised.

Check "Find a club"

Are the club's contact details up-to-date?

Clubs sometimes forget to keep the information on toastmasters.org up-to-date, which means that they miss out on potential members. Check the details and try sending a message to the club.

Prepare your speech

Your speech should recognise the contributions of the club officers and achievements of club members. Mention the club mission, characteristics of successful clubs, the Distinguished Club Program, and any upcoming training, contests, or other Toastmasters events. Aim to inspire greater involvement in the future success of the club

Perform

Talk to members and guests

Arrive early and use the time to talk to club members and guests. Find out about their experience and aspirations

Make notes about your visit

Use Toastmasters International document "1471 Area Director Club Visit Report" to make notes about your visit. Think of this like a speech evaluation - you need to recognise the things that contribute to the long-term success of club and also provide specific recommendations about how the club's performance could be improved

Deliver your speech & present awards

Use the time to recognise success and inspire future achievement. Mention the personal and professional growth opportunities that are available by participating in club and District activities. Present awards (pins, ribbons, certificates) for Pathways Level completions, Triple Crown awards, membership milestones and other achievements

Provide feedback

Submit your report

Enable follow-up action

Write your club visit report and submit it on District Central within 1 week of your visit

Meet with the club committee

Hold a follow-up meeting with the club committee to discuss the details of your report and the actions that the club plans to take to achieve its goals. Identify areas where the District team can provide support, such as coaching or participation in training events

Follow-up with potential future District leaders

By getting to know the club and its members you should be able to identify people that would benefit from undertaking District roles. Follow-up with them to make them aware of opportunities and encourage them to get involved

Resources

Watch this video to learn how to use the Dashboards to prepare for your visit and plan your conversations