Club 23
Phone: 0431 988 432
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About Club 23
We are a friendly club with a mix of experienced and newer members, and offer the opportunity for people to learn and practice public speaking and meeting skills in a relaxed and non-threatening environment. We are located in the heart of the Adelaide C.B.D., close to public transport and convenient for those who work in the city and are looking for a lunch hour meeting.
Rostrum clubs are located throughout the Adelaide metropolitan area – see the Clubs page for a full list of clubs showing when and where they meet. We’d like you to come along to Club 23, but if the day, time or venue doesn’t suit you may find another club that is closer or meets at a more suitable time.
And don’t panic – you won’t have to give a speech at your first meeting (or even your second, – only when you’re ready to).
Typical Meeting
All Rostrum clubs share the same objectives & the same basic meeting structure, but no two Rostrum clubs are ever the same.
The meeting structure can be summarised as follows:
- speaking exercises;
- a business section;
- evaluation & feedback.
The Speaking Program:
This section offers the opportunity to work on communication skills and includes prepared speeches of generally between 3 and 10 minutes. New members give shorter speeches and receive much easier topics than the veterans. Our meetings also often include readings and short notice or impromptu speeches of usually between 2 and 4 minutes (but we don’t spring these on novices). As well, there are often variations to keep the meeting interesting.
The Business Section:
This helps you practise running a meeting via the agenda, being a friendly host and seeing that the will of the meeting is completed. These skills are invaluable when chairing meetings in the broader community.
The Coach’s Evaluation:
This is an important segment – the Club Coach provides encouragement and constructive criticism, offering helpful suggestions as to how future exercises may be improved. Our Coaches have undertaken special training, have usually served elsewhere as a club Coach and are very approachable.
Visitors & New Members
If you are thinking of coming to a Rostrum meeting for the first time don’t stress out – we were all raw and nervous once! Our members know exactly how the novice feels, since we have all been through the same experience.
Visitors:
As a visitor attending one of our meetings we don’t expect you to give a speech. Visitors normally come along to have a look and listen and see what we have to offer.
New Members:
It’s only after you have become a member that you would be scheduled to give a speech, and the first speeches are always short and on easy topics. As you gain confidence and experience you can move on to longer and more challenging topics, but this happens at your pace in consultation with the Program Director, – see Your First Speech for more information.
Another aspect of Rostrum is learning about and gaining experience in meeting procedures. Club members take turns in taking minutes & chairing meetings. As a new member you’d also get your turn, but we don’t throw you in at the deep end – when it’s your turn to chair a meeting we provide a chairman’s running sheet & an experienced member will sit with you to provide support and assistance.
How can you join?
When you decide to join Rostrum an existing club member will need to nominate you as a member. Your application is then read at two meetings, & a vote of members is then taken. Once your nomination is accepted, you will be inducted into the club in a simple ceremony and be issued a New Member’s Kit.
Cost of Membership
The Club 23 membership fee is currently $80 every six months ($160/year). Student members pay half the regular fee.