Club Mentor

Each new club may have up to two mentors who are appointed by the District Governor. Mentors need to be experienced Toastmasters who actually join the new club, providing guidance during the first six months to one year of the new club’s existence. The mentor receives a certificate and credit toward their Advanced Leader (AL) award after they return their “Get Credit” form.

Note:  Mentors may apply for credit no sooner than six months after the club’s official charter date. A “mentor” is a trusted counselor or guide: tutor; coach. Your task, therefore, is to serve as a coach and advisor to the newly formed club. As a Mentor, you have the opportunity to share your wisdom, knowledge, and experience with new toastmasters who want to learn, grow, and achieve. Your responsibility is not to run the club, but to allow the club to learn and grow while gently guiding it toward excellence. By being a resource person, you can ease the growing pains of a new club and get it started on the right foot.

The duties and responsibilities of a Club Mentor:

1. Build a personal rapport with the club
2. Provide the new club with an overview history of TI, the organization structure, and the relationship between the organization and the club member
3. Explain the entire educational system (review the Competent Communication and Effective Leadership manuals).
4. Acquaint the members with all of the educational programs and activities TI has to offer (i.e. Speechcraft, Youth Leadership, the Success/Communication and Success/Leadership programs, speech contests, debates, etc.
5. Work with club officers explaining their duties and responsibilities
6. Help Club members build positive habits (these are the kinds of behavior you want to display long after you left the group.)  Emphasize these positive habits:
   1. Regular attendance at meetings.
   2. Manual speeches.
   3. Diligent preparation.
   4. Excellent evaluations.
   5. Positive, enthusiastic attitude. In all of TI’s most successful clubs, members gain strength from a shared commitment to a worthwhile goal: self improvement for all members.
   6. Special attention to guests and new members.
   7. Plan joint meetings with other clubs sot he members will have an opportunity to see how other clubs operate.
   8. Review TI’s Supply Catalog with the club and explain how they can benefit from the materials offered.
   9. Encourage Club members to attend Area, Division, District, Region and International meetings.
   10. Keep your District Governor informed of your progress.

Being a club mentor offers you the opportunity to further develop and practice your leadership skills.