| Education |
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Voices Unlimited - Communication and Leadership workshop |
| By Toastmasters & Rotarians together with the US Embassy |
English although being widely spoken in the urban areas of Sri Lanka, is still a language alien to many Sri Lankan youth in the outstations. The lack of English knowledge and communication skills is a major barrier for the rural youth to further their careers and future.
| FACT BOX |
From a humble beginning in 1924 at the YMCA in Santa Ana, California, Toastmasters International has grown to become a world leader in helping people become more competent and comfortable in front of an audience. The nonprofit organization now has nearly 250,000 members in more than 12,500 clubs in 106 countries, offering a proven - and enjoyable - way to practice and hone communication and leadership skills.
Most Toastmasters meetings are comprised of approximately 20 people who meet weekly/fortnightly for an hour or two. Participants practise and learn skills by filling a meeting role, ranging from giving a prepared speech or an impromptu one to serving as timer, evaluator or grammarian .
There is no instructor; instead, each speech and meeting is critiqued by a member in a positive manner, focusing on what was done right and what could be improved. |
In order to redress and overcome the lack of English knowledge, the US Embassy in Sri Lanka along with the Rotary Club of Colombo West in association with Toastmasters District 82 will implement the Rural Voices Unlimited (RVU) Project. This is a project funded by the US Embassy in Sri Lanka and promoted through the Rotary Club of Colombo West.
The U.S. Embassy is currently conducting a programme in outstation areas called the "Access English Programme" which is a micro-scholarship course for youth to learn English for 2 years. However, there is a need for the rural youth also to apply these skills, to learn and improve their English communication, public speaking and leadership skills, which will empower them with the knowledge and confidence to communicate in English without inhibition.
The Toastmasters programme was chosen as the ideal vehicle to achieve these objectives. As a pilot project, five towns in Sri Lanka were selected, viz. Anuradhapura, Bandarawela, Batticaloa, Hambantota and Trincomalee. It is proposed to establish Gavel clubs ( i.e a pre-lude to a fully fledged Toastmasters Club) in these five towns and conduct extended Speechcraft programmes in them. On successful completion of this pilot project, it will be extended islandwide, where the Access programme is being conducted. The U.S. government is currently conducting the "Access English Programme" in 66 countries, and if the pilot project is successful, this model could be used in these countries as well.
This is an exciting programme that has immense possibilities, not only as a learning opportunity for the Toastmasters fraternity, but also as a CSR project for the Toastmasters movement in this country to help in the development of our rural youth. This is also the first time the Toastmasters in Sri Lanka are taking the Toastmasters Programme to these cities. A residential training programme will be held on November 7 and 8, 2009 at Hotel TAPRO-SPA to train the Toastmasters, Rotarians and Access Teachers involved with the setting up of the Gavel Clubs in the pilot project.
The Gavel club meetings will be held every week for six months, on Saturdays, in each of these five locations, commencing on November 14, 2009, and a team of Toastmasters consisting of the educational module presenter and two evaluators will attend meetings every fortnight. The project objective is to ensure that the gavel clubs formed with the guidance of the Toastmasters are sustained after the six months mentoring period.
More information can be obtained by contacting the Project-Chairman Arunasalam Balraj (balraj@sltnet.lk) or Project-Coordinator Rayhan Wanniappa (rayhan@sltnet.lk)
Good communicators generally tend to be good leaders
Mission
Toastmasters International is the leading movement devoted to making effective oral communication a worldwide reality.
Through its member clubs, Toastmasters International helps men and women learn the arts of speaking, listening, and thinking - vital skills that promote self-actualization, enhance leadership potential, foster human understanding, and contribute to the betterment of mankind.
It is basic to this mission that Toastmasters International continually expand its worldwide network of member clubs, thereby offering ever-greater numbers of people the opportunity to benefit from its programmes.
Vision
Toastmasters International empowers people to achieve their full potential and realize their dreams. Through our member clubs, people throughout the world can improve their communication and leadership skills, and find the courage to change.
Values
Toastmasters International's core values are integrity, dedication to excellence, service to the member, and respect for the individual. These are values worthy of a great organization, and we believe we should incorporate them as anchor points in every decision we make.
Our core values provide us with a means of not only guiding but also evaluating our operations, our planning, and our vision for the future.
Contact Persons for anyone interested in joining Toastmasters in Sri Lanka Sudesh Liyanage (0777874072) or Mahesh Jayasinghe (0773072201) |
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