Helensburgh public speaking club facing its final toast

Toastmasters Helensburgh is in danger of shutting down if more members are not recruited.

The group has six members and needs at least eight by June 30 to remain viable as a Toastmasters club; failing to do so would lead to the dissolution of the club and a loss of access to coaching and district meetings and contests.

The public speaking group encourages members to find their confidence in presentations and speeches through practice and feedback in a supportive environment with meetings held twice a month in the Helensburgh community centre.

Matthew Derbridge, president-elect for Helensburgh Toastmasters joined the club 12 years ago after struggling at university while studying teaching.

“Let's just say that trying to speak in front of a group of people, particularly for my career as a teacher, became nerve-wracking and I had no control over my voice, my eye contact – everything was just a complete mess,” Matthew says.

“I couldn't control the kids, I couldn't control my pace, and someone said ‘there's a club that's called Toastmasters which helps with confidence’.

“I found out that it was a great supportive network of people that gave feedback and that made you feel comfortable, so I kept turning up.”

Matthew credits the club for giving him control over his nerves and that he has found the experience rewarding both personally and socially.

“Besides the self-confidence and getting that better control of my speaking and all that, the reward is long-term friendships,” he says.

“It's a supportive network of people that, if you're having a bad day, you can send a message to someone and they can easily come back saying something to make you feel better.

“The fact that there's a national of organisation, you meet new people from all over, so that network of friends just builds.”

There are roughly 600 Toastmasters clubs in Australia housing 10,000 members. Friendly competitions are held at all levels, bringing the clubs together and encouraging members to push themselves.

Toastmasters Helensburgh has been around for 28 years but if the club is found unviable, they will no longer be able to meet under the Toastmasters name and will as lose access to competitions and resources such as learning material and programs.

“For me, it would be a huge disappointment for our community,” Matthew says.

“The fact that a toastmaster is somebody who is a better leader, a better speaker, somebody who has that confidence – and to not be seen as that – just as a past toastmaster, seems like I've lost something,

“It’s been a good support for me – either I’ll fall into old habits, or I’ll miss the connections I made with the people in there.”

So how can Toastmasters Helensburgh be saved?

Two people need to join – that’s all.

However, the club battles a conundrum with recruiting members, as those who stand to gain the most from the experience can also have the hardest time signing up.

“The fear of public speaking is one of the biggest fears out there,” Matthew says.

“But it's also the fear of making that first step that also complicates things.

“We have people email that they’re interested but they don’t come in the door, or we have someone who walks in but then they don’t show up again.”

The club has adopted hybrid sessions, offering meetings over Zoom to make the experience more accessible.

Memberships cost $20 a month, and signing up can be done through the website toastmasters.org or by sending a message to the Helensburgh club on Facebook or their email: toastmasters2508@gmail.com.