Parents and Friends Toastmasters Club

Q. I think I am really bad at public speaking. Is this really the right place for me?
A.  Yes of course! You can learn how to make a public speech naturally just by participating in a meeting, in which you can practice speaking in front of the audience as well as receive feedback and advise from other members.

 

One of the highlights of the Toastmasters program is that we learn in moments of enjoyment in supportive atmosphere. The evaluation session is not about picking up shortcomings; instead, we focus on good points of each speech and room for further improvement. We saw many people raising their confidence through the Toastmasters program. 

Q. Can I learn from a professional speech teacher?
A. No lectures will be given by professionals. Instead, members of various age, occupation and skills will practice and brush up communication and leadership skills by performing a given role at a workshop-style meeting. Some of the Toastmasters in Japan are professional speakers, but it is diversity in our background which adds to the quality and excitement of each meeting the most. 
 

When you join Toastmasters, you will be assigned a mentor, who is an experienced Toastmaster. He or she will also help you through your Toastmasters journey.

Q. I do not have opportunities in making speeches, presentations or attending online meetings in my daily work and life. Does this Club still benefit me? 
A. Yes it does!
First, you can improve your communication skills which are not limited to making speeches. For example, we hear our members saying that membership in Toastmasters enabled them to speak more logically, put themselves in other people's shoes when making conversations, and so on. As Parents and Friends Toastmasters Club targets parents, we may also help you communicate with your children in a positive and supportive manner.

 

You can also improve your leadership skills as you organize a meeting taking the role of its host (i.e. Toastmaster of the Morning). You can also make casual conversation with our members after each meeting as we open our Zoom meeting room for a while after each meeting. With our society drastically changing since the outbreak of COVID-19, you may also have an experience meeting others online in the near future. In such a case your Toastmasters experience may also help you.

Q. What kind of device should I use to join your meeting?
A. You can use any device which supports video conference; for example, PCs, smartphones and tablets.

Q. Do I have an opportunity to speak in public when joining your meeting as a guest?
A. We ask you to make short comments at the end of our meetings. You can also speak at the Table Topics (impromptu speech) session, though not required. 

Q. Can I invite my family and friends?
A. Sure, they are more than welcome!

Q. I see many pictures on your website. Does this mean that my face will show up if I visit your meeting? 
A. The picture of each meeting is taken under the consent of each participant. If you do not want to show up on the picture, you can turn off your video. The names on the picture will also be erased before the picture goes public.

Q. Are there any gatherings outside your meetings?
A. After each meeting, we have informal conversation time, where attendance is optional and guests are welcome. We sometimes talk about childcare and parenting, and other times we explain to our guests and new members about the details of the Toastmasters program. 

Q. Are there any things to note before joining your meeting?
A. Our Club is a non-profit organization. We do not allow members and guests to join our meetings with the intent of selling products, conducting solicitation activities, and collecting personal information. 

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Copyrights of the Toastmasters educational program belong to Toastmasters International, an international non-profit organization. Therefore, using the Toastmasters program materials in places other than Toastmasters Clubs and events is strictly prohibited.

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Q: I am not a native Japanese speaker. What is the required level of fluency in Jiapanese?

A: First, if you prefer you can join only our English meetings, which is held every 1st Sunday.We are a bilingual Toastmasters Club so you can choose the language of our educational program materials from English and Japanese. 

If you would like to join our Japanese meetings, we think you can enjoy our meetings to some extent if you can introduce yourself in Japanese; that is, beginners are welcome. Even if you are not confident in your Japanese, we focus on how to communicate effectively regardless of languages instead of being picky on pronunciation and grammar. At your request, you can just listen to our Japanese meetings with no roles or just take small roles. So please feel free to join our meetings even if you do not understand Japanese much!

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