Toastmasters is a learn-by-doing program. There are no lectures and no instructors grading you. Instead, members build public speaking and leadership skills by practising in real club meetings, taking on a mix of roles, and getting honest, encouraging feedback from peers working through the same program. Progress is entirely self-paced, guided by a structured curriculum called Pathways.
The Curriculum
The Pathways Learning Experience
Every member chooses a learning path suited to their goals, whether that's presentation skills, motivational leadership, or persuasive speaking. Each path combines speeches, written projects and leadership assignments, completed online and in meetings at your own pace.
Each level bundles a handful of projects (a speech or leadership task paired with a written plan and clear objectives), with electives at some levels so you can tailor the path to your own interests.
- 1
Level 1
Master the fundamentals of effective speaking with your first few projects.
- 2
Level 2
Learn your path's core skills through more structured speeches and leadership tasks.
- 3
Level 3
Apply what you've learned, including one project outside a regular club meeting.
- 4
Level 4
Build strong leadership skills, mentoring others and leading a team project.
- 5
Level 5
Demonstrate your growth with a capstone project and mentor a fellow member.
Choose Your Path
Dynamic Leadership
Lead change and inspire others through persuasive, motivational communication.
Engaging Humor
Use humour and storytelling to connect with any audience.
Motivational Strategies
Motivate others and build support for your ideas as a leader.
Persuasive Influence
Sharpen persuasive speaking and negotiation skills to influence outcomes.
Presentation Mastery
Craft and deliver clear, compelling presentations for any setting.
Team Collaboration
Work with, and lead, diverse teams toward a shared goal.
Visionary Communication
Communicate a vision clearly to align and inspire others around it.
Effective Coaching
Build your ability to coach, mentor and guide others toward growth.
Leadership Development
Build core leadership skills that apply in any organisation.
Innovative Planning
Develop strategic, creative planning skills for solving problems.
Strategic Relationships
Build and manage relationships with the people and networks that matter.
You’re not limited to one. Many members complete several paths over time, each building a different set of skills.
Guided by a Mentor
Every new member is paired with an experienced club member as a mentor. Your mentor helps you settle in, choose a learning path suited to your goals, and prepares you for your first few speeches, someone to turn to with the day-to-day questions a handbook can’t answer.
Mentoring runs both ways: guiding another member is itself a project within several Pathways levels, so as you progress you’ll likely mentor someone newer than you. Nairobi Toastmasters coordinates these pairings directly, so every new member has someone in their corner from day one.
Every Meeting
What Happens at a Club Meeting
A typical meeting rotates a full set of roles among members, so everyone gets practice not just speaking, but leading, organising and giving feedback too.
Toastmaster of the Day
Hosts the meeting, keeps it on track and introduces every speaker.
Prepared Speakers
Deliver a speech prepared in advance, usually a project from their Pathways learning path.
Table Topics Master
Poses impromptu questions to volunteers, building the skill of speaking confidently without notes.
Evaluators
Give each speaker specific, encouraging feedback on what worked and what to try next time.
Timer, Grammarian & Ah-Counter
Track speaking time, language use and verbal fillers, and report back to help everyone improve.
General Evaluator
Reviews the meeting as a whole, from pacing to how effectively every role was carried out.
Roles rotate between members from meeting to meeting. Guests don’t take on a role, but are always welcome to join in on Table Topics if they’d like to.
Start to Finish
A Typical Meeting Agenda
The flow is similar every meeting, but the length and number of speeches depends on the day. Illustrative rather than a fixed schedule.
Monday Meetings
About 1 hour 15 minutes, 3 speeches.
- 0:00Welcome & Sergeant at Arms opens the meeting
- 0:05Toastmaster of the Day introduction
- 0:10Prepared speeches (3 speeches, with individual evaluators assigned)
- 0:40Table Topics: impromptu speaking session
- 0:55Speech evaluations
- 1:05Timer, Grammarian and Ah-Counter reports, plus General Evaluation
- 1:15Awards, announcements and close
Saturday Meetings
About 2 hours, 5 to 6 speeches.
- 0:00Welcome & Sergeant at Arms opens the meeting
- 0:05Invocation / Inspiration and Toastmaster of the Day introduction
- 0:10Prepared speeches (5 to 6 speeches, with individual evaluators assigned)
- 0:55Table Topics: impromptu speaking session
- 1:15Individual speech evaluations
- 1:35Timer, Grammarian and Ah-Counter reports
- 1:45General Evaluation of the full meeting
- 1:55Awards, announcements and close
Exact timing varies by meeting; see the meetings page for the current schedule and venue.
Peer Feedback, Not Grades
There are no instructors grading you. Instead, fellow members offer specific, encouraging evaluations after every speech, pointing out what’s working well and one or two things to try next time. Feedback is a skill in itself, and giving it is as much a part of the program as receiving it.
Progress at Your Own Pace
Members advance through projects and levels at a pace that suits them, around work and other commitments. There’s no fixed timeline and no deadline pressure, and many people stay involved for years, working through new paths and roles long after their first speech.
Beyond the Club
A Path to Bigger Leadership
Skills built at club level open the door to wider Toastmasters leadership and recognition, within Nairobi Toastmasters and across the global organisation.
Club
Where members meet weekly, take on roles and work through Pathways projects together.
Area & Division
Groups of nearby clubs that run joint speech contests and share leadership opportunities.
District
Oversees clubs across a wider region, including Nairobi Toastmasters' District 114.
Toastmasters International
The global non-profit behind the entire education program, supporting clubs worldwide.
Members who complete multiple paths and take on club, area and district leadership can earn the Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) award, the highest recognition Toastmasters International offers.
First Time Visiting?
Visiting as a Guest
Every meeting welcomes guests, free of obligation. Here's what to expect.
Arrive 10 to 15 minutes early to sign in and settle in; no RSVP or paperwork needed. If you like what you see, any officer can walk you through joining, whenever you’re ready -- see Membership for what that involves.