The Youth Leadership Program is a workshop consisting of eight one- to two-hour sessions that enable young people under the age of 18 to develop their communication and leadership skills through practical experience. The program is presented during or after school, or on weekends. In the workshop, young people learn valuable skills including:
- Evaluating their own speaking ability
- Preparing and giving speeches
- Giving impromptu talks
- Controlling their voice, vocabulary and gestures
- Giving constructive feedback and more
How the program works
Participants in the Youth Leadership Program are selected by a sponsoring Toastmasters club or by a cooperating organization (such as a school). The workshops are structured for small group learning and are limited to 25 students. They are presented by a coordinator who attends each meeting.
Meetings generally follow a format similar to that of a Toastmasters club meeting, with an announced agenda that includes practice in parliamentary procedure, prepared and impromptu speeches.
Speeches are only 4 minutes long with evaluations and Table Topics just 1-2 minutes. The students serve as speaker, ah counter/grammarian, vote counter and timer. If time permits Table Topics is offered, but in most cases the class size does not permit the Table Topics portion of the session.
Overview
There are two options for our District 44 youth. First, a club can sponsor a Youth Leadership Program that can be 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 sessions. There is no fee for this program, but the club will need to follow the outlined program on www.toastmasters.org .
The second option is to sponsor a Gavel Club. This does require a fee paid by the sponsoring club or members. Please go to www.toastmasters.org and download the documentation for a gavel club which outlines all the requirements and payment details.
* As of 2019, all Youth Leadership Programs going forward must use ONLY the manuals from Toastmasters and the program MUST be sponsored by an active Toastmasters club.
YLP Coordinators vs. Volunteers
A YLP Coordinator ensures that their location is properly staffed for the entire program period. They would ideally find substitutes for any of their volunteers unable to attend a session. They would ensure that the materials are present and used at each session. They are responsible for creating the agendas for each session or working with the teacher to create the agenda. This coordinator role would provide District level credit toward their DTM.
A YLP volunteer is an experienced Toastmaster who can only commit to one or two sessions. They do not manage the program and are not responsible for bringing anything but their smiling faces to the sessions. The volunteer role would not get them District level credit.
Interpersonal Communication
The Interpersonal Communication program helps teenagers build effective listening and communication skills while understanding their own communication style. The program features materials designed to be used by teachers and other adult community members who mentor young people.
The program includes two manuals: ten (10) Team Member Manual (Item 701B) and one (1) Team Leader Manual (Item 701A).
- The Team Member Manuals are given to participants and contains short assignments and materials to supplement group activities.
- The Team Leader Manual includes the text of the Team Member manual with notes for the teacher to explain activities and offer suggestions for discussions.
