Toastmasters Article referenced by Bob Homans

20220613

Toastmasters survives the war and thrives in Ukraine

A robust civil society distinguishes Ukraine from repressive Russia. Such a difference would not have been possible without constant learning and putting knowledge to practice in all spheres of life, including public speaking. The most popular platform for public speaking is the Toastmasters International organization. It encourages learning communication through the delivery of speeches on topics of interest to the speaker. Evolution, intelligence, the war, the differences between men and women – little is off-limits.

The first club was founded in California in 1923 to help salespeople, priests and others whose jobs call for public speaking to improve their skills. It went international in 1935 and is now represented all over the world. Members in Ukraine improve both their public speaking skills  and their knowledge of English in a friendly and professional environment.

Shortly after Ukraine's independence two experienced Toastmasters, Bob South, an Australian working for Boeing, and Viktor Koszarny, a Canadian businessman, found each other and started meeting informally. Before Covid and the war there were eight clubs in Kyiv, speaking in Ukrainian, Russian, English and German - and clubs in Odessa, Kharkiv and Lviv.

Meetings follow a format set a century ago. There are usually three prepared speeches, 7 to 15 minutes each, followed by half an hour or so of two-minute impromptu speeches. At the end of the meeting members serving as evaluators praise the strong parts of the presentations and offer one or two suggestions for improvement.

There are speech contests at five tiers in the Toastmasters International organizational structure: club, area, division, district, and international. Speakers from Ukrainian clubs have won at the fourth of these levels, District 110 embracing Eastern Europe.

Clubs in Kyiv survived Covid and the war by meeting via Zoom when they could not meet in person, thus practicing online communication and presentation skills. Online meetings had certain advantages. Members who had emigrated or sought asylum overseas could continue to participate. Nevertheless, there is no substitute for seeing one another in the flesh, and the Kyiv clubs relish the fact that they are able to meet in person once again.

The clubs are a big part of members' social lives. Those in Ukraine usually get together for a couple hours' conversation after the meetings. Several clubs will gather in the summer for picnics and in the winter for dances. Since the majority of the members join at the point in life at which they have finished University and are of an age to start families, there have been quite a few marriages.

Toastmasters' immediate challenge is to rebuild membership. Not a small number of members have found favorable work and places to live as they sought refuge in Western Europe. Many who remained in Ukraine have had their family and work lives disrupted; their immediate priorities are higher than self-improvement. However, our spirit remains undiminished. Toastmasters, like all Ukrainians, are extremely proud of how well the country has responded to the recent crises. They have a lot to talk about.

Ukraine's incoming area directors, Vira Olenieva and Vitaliy Rulyov, offer their view of the club’s value. Vera observes that “No place other than Toastmasters combines so many benefits for personal development so harmonically. In Toastmasters’ clubs you are able to cultivate and develop not only public speaking and leadership skills, but also to learn the skills of networking and electronic communications. And all of that in a friendly, amiable atmosphere.” Vitaliy offers that “Andre Agassi has said: ‘If you don’t practice, you don’t deserve to win.’ Toastmasters Ukraine offers a perfect training ground for practicing English, communication, networking and leadership skills. Toastmasters will be delighted to welcome you to any club in Ukraine!”

Vera and Vitaliy invite anybody interested in learning public speaking and making friends to contact Toastmasters via the Toastmasters Ukraine Facebook page.