A group offering a chance to improve communication and leadership skills has been started in Innisfail.
A Toastmasters group had its first organizational meeting on Sept. 13 and the first full meeting Sept. 20. It's being run through the Henday Association for Life Long Learning.
“We had a couple people talk to us about it,” said Donna Arnold, the executive director of the association. She said bringing in Toastmasters fit in with the educational components of the organization.
The meetings will be weekly at the Innisfail Library/Learning Centre building on Thursdays at 7 p.m. More members are welcome.
Arnold said there will be a membership fee but the amount is currently undetermined.
Barb Dootson was at the meeting on Sept. 20. She's been a member of Toastmasters groups on and off since 1985.
“It's a non-profit organization dedicated to bettering a person's communication and leadership skills,” she said.
People aren't expected to give a speech every week. She explained membership comes with manuals, and the communication one has 10 speech projects to work through.
“You go through it at your own rate,” she said.
Each speech is evaluated by another group member and everyone can write notes to the speaker.
“There's no passing or failing,” she said. “You learn from each other.”
Reed Mendenhall, the local area governor for Toastmasters, attended the meeting on Sept. 20 with some other volunteers who were helping show off how a session normally runs.
He said there's two tracks: leadership and communication. He said it's a safe space for people to learn.
“It's not to criticize, it's to build people up,” he said of the evaluation process.
To join the new Toastmasters group, show up to a Thursday meeting or call the Henday Association at 403-227-2866.
