How to Start a Mensa Toastmasters Club

[Chad Schultz]

Fill out the Toastmasters form indicating you are interested in starting a club. Local, experienced Toastmasters will get in touch with you to help you arrange a "demo meeting" to show people what a typical Toastmasters meeting is like. They will also walk you through the club chartering process and will provide experienced Toastmasters to be "club mentors" and join the club for the first six months of its existence to lend their knowledge in Toastmasters and in public speaking. You get plenty of support!

On the Mensa side of things, just work with your local club to get people aware of the Toastmasters club and to get it on your local Mensa calendar of events.

Points to Ponder:

Who can be members of the Toastmasters club? Anyone in the community, or Mensa members only?

What name will you use? Mensa doesn't want you to use the word "Mensa." See the post "name ideas for Mensa Toastmasters clubs" for suggestions to get your brainstorming started.

Where will you meet? Can you meet in the same place some of your local Mensa activities take place at? You'll want a place 20 people can sit at comfortably and meet at for free (or perhaps in exchange for buying food or a small donation). Ideas are churches, colleges, restaurants.

When will you meet? If during lunch, you'll probably want to meet at a restaurant. If in the early morning, not everyone will want to come that early. If in the afternoon, people who work regular business hours cannot attend. Few Toastmasters clubs meet on the weekends, but some make it work. Evening clubs are common, but don't work for everyone.