Committee Vision
To give all youth the opportunity to experience the Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program so they can find their own voice and prepare to become the leaders of tomorrow.
Committee Mission
We promote the benefits of the Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program to Toastmasters and the broader community to attract participants and Toastmaster volunteers. We empower volunteers to lead the program by providing training and assistance.
Committee Values
Empowerment, Support, Service, Inclusivity
Committee Formation
In March 2009 a group of Toastmasters from the Greater Edmonton area, experienced in the delivery of Toastmasters’ Youth Leadership Program, came together to form the Northern Alberta Youth Leadership Project. Each member is a passionate advocate for the Youth Leadership Program, compelled with a desire to spread the joy they experienced while delivering it to youth in the Edmonton, build the confidence and communication skills of our young people and to promote the value of Toastmasters to the broader community.
Purpose of the Program
The Toastmaster Youth Leadership program is designed to develop the speaking and leadership skills of young people. Every young person has the potential to become a good communicator and leader, but this potential needs to be developed. The program’s unique eight-session, workshop-style design enables participants between the ages of 11 – 17; to develop this potential through practical experience.
The program is not in competition with school programs or courses, or other established youth projects. Instead, it’s a supplement to these programs, providing emphasis on specialized speaking and leadership skills, and individual needs. Participants learn to:
- Overcome nervousness when speaking before an audience.
- Organize and present ideas logically and convincingly.
- Listen carefully to others’ ideas.
- Offer advice to help others improve their speaking and leadership skills.
- Participate in – and even lead – group discussion or meetings.
By developing these skills, young people will be better prepared to meet the demands and challenges of today’s world. They also increase their self-confidence as they learn, make new friends, and have fun. Toastmasters is an enjoyable learning experience! Toastmasters International requires that Youth Leadership Program courses be delivered at no charge for students.
How it Works
The program is presented in eight sessions during or after school, or on weekends. Each session usually lasts one to two hours. Activities taking place in the sessions include the following:
- Evaluation of present speaking ability
- Discussion of chairmanship principles
- Presentation of speeches
- Impromptu talks
- Group evaluation
- Discussion of speech organization
- Discussion and practice in listening
- Discussion of gestures in speaking
- Discussion of voice and vocabulary
- Exercise in chairmanship
There is no cost to participants for tuition or materials. The materials used in the program are produced by the Northern Alberta Youth Leadership Project, which orders them from Toastmasters World Headquarters.
Generally, meetings follow a format similar to that of a Toastmasters club meeting. There is an announced agenda and participants learn and practice parliamentary procedure during each meeting. Lecturing is minimal, but discussion is held during each session. Participants, working from a handbook, select officers who preside over the meetings. The remaining class members are assigned other duties on a rotating basis, so everyone is actively involved. Participants also deliver short impromptu and prepared speeches. In every meeting, participants learn to apply the principles of listening, thinking and speaking.
The Participants
The program is designed for youth ages 11 – 17. Each Youth Leadership program group is limited to 15 to 20 people, with a maximum of 25. That way, each participant receives individual attention and has the opportunity to gain practical experience. The program is not an award to honor those who already have become leaders. It’s designed for the much larger group who are still working on communication skills. Participants are selected for what they can become, not for what they already have done. Often teenagers want the course as a supplement to their high school education, or to prepare for college or university.
The Coordinators
Youth Leadership Program Coordinators are experienced Toastmasters and leaders. These adults are patient and understanding; they remember their own struggles with youthful issues and work well with kids as a result. Each coordinator has assistants who conduct educational seminars and substitutes for the coordinator, should he or she be unable to attend a meeting.
Edmonton Businessman and Philanthropist Larry Anderson donates $10,000 to Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program and provides a Keynote Address, April 18!
On Monday April 18th 2011 at the Shaw Conference Centre, local businessman and philanthropist Larry Anderson delivered a keynote speech entitled LIVE YOUR MAGIC. The event was in recognition of the work that is being done locally to help children from 11 – 17, tomorrow’s leaders, find their voice and discover their leadership potential. The program of Youth Leadership is free for attendees, but the materials are provided at a cost by Toastmasters International, and the cost is borne by local Toastmasters and Clubs. Larry’s donation of $10,000 is in support of the tremendous work that is being done in Edmonton and to advocate a broader involvement by local Toastmasters. So many kids, so little time. Changing lives one by one.
If you have questions, or desire to contact the NAYLP Committee, please email naylproject@gmail.com. Thank you for your support!