The vision of having a sharing session and getting Club Coach and Mentor started from the moment I held the role as Area Governor in 2007/2008.
I was assigned 4 clubs which have mixture of clubs within and below chartered strength.
As fresh as I am with the newly elected club officers, we had some difficulties in getting help.
I often stumbled into these two questions: - What to help? How to help?
Even if we have found some passionate Toastmasters members from another club, they will be still asking the same questions.
Since then, I understood that to have a strong Club, Area, Division and District, we need a team of Club Coaches, Club Mentors and Members Mentors to really understand and ready to assist when help is needed.
Since then, planning has been put into the vision and finally, we had our first Club Coach and Mentor Program (CCMP) at Penang Hill in a two-days-one-night session. The session was meticulously crafted to suit participants from different levels of Toastmasters knowledge.
49 participants signed up for the program within two weeks.
We started at 3.00pm after checking into our heritage hotel – The Bellevue Hotel, Penang Hill occupying the entire hotel’s 11 rooms. Additional mattresses were layout and welcomed us with great joy.
By 4.00pm, we kicked off our program with a teambuilding session organized by Joanne Tan and Terence Lee. Three games were planned and had the essence of Ice Breaker, Team Work and Fun & Wet.
By 8.00pm, we kicked off our 2.5 hours educational session with the “what” concept.
Started with the basics of Toastmasters’ club officer’s roles, Distinguished Club Program, Successful club, Club Coaches and Mentors significance and tools available to identify the club’s strength.
The next morning, we continued with the “how” concept the facilitators then use the Club Coach Troubleshooting guide and other medias to help the participants understand and get the root cause of the club.
Moments of Truth session was also conducted to help the participants learn how to conduct one at the club they will be assigned to.
Both education sessions were facilitated by great leaders from Division N & S Governors alike:
· Past Division N Governor 2005/06: Clement Pang, DTM
· Chartered Division S Governor 2006/07: Sue Chan, DTM
· Past Division S Governor 2007/08: Yoon Peng Yew, ACG, ALB
· Immediate Past Division S Governor 2008/09: Charles Tan, DTM
· Elected Division S Governor 2009/10: SH Lim, ACS, ALB
· Immediate Past Area Governor 2007/08: Thiang Bee Nee, ACS, ALB
Sue Chan, DTM summarized the session with a great game of building bridges along with the rest of facilitators acting as natural disasters to the working groups.
Finally, we have a closing message from a guest speaker, Billy Teoh, CC with his title “Finish it STRONG” which inspires the participants to finish their journey strong and help others in their journey too.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the distinguished facilitators who had spend their precious time to make this event successful.
Surely, this educational session is not possible without a great team of members to help plan and execute the event flawlessly.
· Co-Organizing Chair: Eleanor Ooi
· Program Manager: Jessica Ho
· Program Material Manager: Teoh Pei Yin
· Facility Managers: Muthukumaran and Lee Yew Jin
· Team building Managers: Joanne Tan & Terence Lee
I would like to thank our Club Coach Chair (northern region), Ricky Ch’ng, ACS, CL for the full support and gracing our program.
This is my fourth year in Toastmasters and I had gained so much of knowledge in communication and leadership. Toastmasters have helped me in my skills, career and life. Hence it’s always kind of us to share the “gift of toastmasters” to our friends and colleagues – Sharing is Caring!
This program started as a vision I had two years ago but today, it’s no longer an individual’s vision. It’s a vision of all passionate Toastmasters who cares and wishes to share the “Gift of Toastmasters”.
You are better than whom you think you are, start sharing your experience and help your friends succeed.
Toastmasters: Speaking your way to a Magical Transformation
