NZ's first rainbow Toastmasters ready to reach for the skies

New Zealand’s first rainbow Toastmasters ready to reach for the skies

Next month history will be made as OUTSpoken Toastmasters hosts its demonstration meeting with an aim to reach out to the wider rainbow community and showcase how Toastmasters can help people to develop their communication and leadership skills.

The demonstration meeting will allow visitors to gain an understanding of what Toastmasters is about and how it can help to empower people to develop their communication and leadership skills which can be applied across all aspects of life.

“The idea of launching a rainbow club in Wellington has been talked about for many years, I know that it was talked about before I joined Toastmasters five years ago” says co-founder Owen Winter.

“This year the stars have aligned, and we managed to get a great team working to get this off the ground. We’re excited to provide this opportunity to our Wellington rainbow community and hope that we can help forge a path for future leaders as well as collectively explore our stories.”

At the meeting guests will get to meet experienced Toastmasters, including well known comedian Neil Thornton who will be presenting a guest speech as part of the evening’s proceedings.

While there are over 15,000 Toastmasters clubs globally there are less than 20 rainbow clubs worldwide, although this is changing and our Australian counterparts who currently have one club in existence do have at least three others in formation.

“We’ve been working closely with our trans-Tasman colleagues as we both branch out into this new venture – which is one of the great things about the Toastmasters community, we’re all in it together and willing to pitch in and help each other” says Mr. Winter.

While most people think Toastmasters is all about public speaking there is a lot more to it than that. Alongside the communication development there is a strong focus on leadership and through these combined streams members can develop self-confidence, learn to lead in any situation and share their stories in a fun and safe environment.

“We aren’t able to develop as leaders, or as people if we aren’t in a safe environment. That’s why I’ve been advocating for a rainbow club for so long.” says co-founder Carol Mitchell, who is also a past District Director of Toastmasters New Zealand.

“It’s not that we aren’t inclusive in our other clubs, but there are experiences which can’t be shared with everyone and by building OUTSpoken I hope we’re able to open new paths for people who may have been a bit apprehensive or shy to visit a Toastmasters club.”

What: OUTSpoken Toastmasters Demonstration Meeting
Where: S&M’s Cocktail and Lounge Bar, 178 Cuba Street, Wellington
When: 7pm, Thursday 7 June 2018

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