Club VP Education

Duties of a Toastmasters Club Vice President Education

The Vice President Education (VPE) is the club’s chief learning officer, responsible for shaping a high-quality educational programme and creating the conditions in which every member can learn, grow, and succeed. The VPE plans and oversees the agenda for each meeting, schedules speeches and roles, supports members in Pathways, manages Base Camp approvals, coordinates mentoring, and ensures the educational standards of the club remain strong. Their leadership directly influences the club’s overall performance, member engagement levels, and ultimate success in the Distinguished Club Program.

Actions for a Vice President Education to Take in December/January

December and January are the pivotal “mid-year reset” for the VPE. By this point in the programme year, the educational programme is well under way, and members’ commitments, motivation, and progress often require renewed energy and structure. The coming months (January to March) are typically high-output periods for Pathways completions, contests, and member development opportunities. Your leadership now can significantly accelerate your club’s progress toward Distinguished status.

Your priorities at this stage are to ensure officers are retrained and refocused, members have clear learning pathways for the second half of the year, and your club’s educational goals in the Distinguished Club Program (DCP) are clearly identified and actively supported.

✅ High-Priority Actions

1. Complete the “Elevate” Club Officer Training Programme

Attend the Elevate Club Officer Training during the December–February round.
Encourage your fellow officers to join these sessions so the leadership team enters the second half of the programme year aligned, informed, and energised.
Use Elevate as a checkpoint: bring real examples from your club’s first six months—strengths, friction points, gaps in meeting quality—and gather practical strategies to apply immediately.

2. Review Your Club’s Progress in the Distinguished Club Program

As VPE, you are the steward of the club’s educational progress—so the DCP review is especially critical for your role.

Log in to the Toastmasters dashboard and examine your club’s current DCP status, focusing on educational goals (Levels 1–4, Pathways awards).
Identify which members are close to Level completions and what support they need to finish.
Compare reality with the Club Success Plan and adjust your educational strategy for the next four months.
Prioritise progress that builds sustained momentum—e.g., ensuring newer members achieve Level 1, helping committed members progress to Levels 2–3, and supporting advanced presenters toward Level 4 or Leadership roles.
Create a simple, actionable “January–March Educational Roadmap” and review it with the executive committee.

3. Invite Your Area Director to Visit Your Club as Soon as Possible

Area Directors are expected to conduct club visits twice per programme year, and the second visit period begins in December. Inviting them early—December or January—ensures timely support and allows you to gather insights on meeting quality and educational opportunities.

Contact your Area Director and formally invite them to a meeting early in the new year.
Share your current educational priorities (e.g., Pathways adoption, mentoring, contest preparation).
Request feedback on your agenda structure, meeting flow, and member experience.
Encourage members to see the visit as an opportunity for fresh perspectives and tailored guidance.

🗂 Mid-Year VPE Responsibilities

Strengthen Member Learning Plans

December/January is the ideal time to refresh individual learning journeys.

Review each member’s Pathways progress in Base Camp.
Check that every member has selected a Pathway and has scheduled upcoming projects.
Hold short one-to-one conversations (in person or via message) to understand their goals for the next 3–6 months.
Identify members who may have stalled—offer mentoring, pairing with experienced members, or structured pathways sessions.

Boost Meeting Quality and Agenda Planning

Mid-year quality directly influences retention and progress.

Maintain balanced agendas: ensure all guests and members see a mix of speaking, evaluating, and leadership roles.
Fill the agenda at least two meetings ahead—this reduces stress and increases member participation.
Ensure the Toastmaster of the Day, Evaluators, and General Evaluator are briefed in advance to sustain consistent quality.
Work closely with the Sergeant-at-Arms on meeting setup and readiness for hybrid/online environments where relevant.

Refresh the Mentoring Programme

Reconfirm mentor–mentee pairings and ensure they’re still active and effective.
Introduce new members to mentors promptly and encourage early project scheduling.
Invite mentors to support members approaching Level completions—particularly Levels 1 and 2, which are essential DCP contributors.

Coordinate Educational Activities and Events

Begin planning for the speech contest season (January–March).
Offer a short mid-year Pathways clinic or educational presentation.
Encourage advanced members to deliver electives, evaluations workshops, or leadership reflections.

🔧 Tools and Resources

Continue making strong use of:

Base Camp – track progress, approve levels, assign roles, and identify learning needs.
Club Central – ensure education awards are correctly submitted so progress counts in the DCP.
Moments of Truth – look again at the “Programme Planning and Meeting Organisation” section to identify one or two improvements that will have outsized impact.
Club Leadership Handbook – reference standards for meetings, roles, and educational responsibilities.

🔜 Looking Ahead

In the months ahead, your focus as VPE shifts from building structure to sustaining momentum—turning early-year planning into tangible member achievement. Completing the Elevate training, reviewing DCP status, and engaging your Area Director early will ensure your club’s educational programme is strong, purposeful, and well supported.

By mid-year, members look to you for direction, encouragement, and clarity. Through deliberate agenda planning, active coaching, and thoughtful coordination, you create the environment in which members feel confident, challenged, and excited to keep progressing.

This is the season to turn steady progress into powerful growth—and to lead your club towards a truly Distinguished year.