Rostrum Taking ACTION | July 2021

Looking to the future I wonder if you have a vision of Rostrum in 10 year's time?

2020 and 2021 have brought about many changes in both our workplace and home life. Being a home school Nanna using the many, many online apps provided by the school has given me a jolt to think about how Rostrum must prepare for the future. 

Our challenge is to respond to the change in the business environment and to remain useful to our community.

We also have some plans around our public profile kicking off in 2021......

It is with sadness I advise Bryan Vivian Chapman, President Rostrum Victoria in 1990 and 1991 - passed away early on Thursday morning of 29 July. Unfortunately he has been ill for a while. He is survived by his wife Frances, daughter Margaret and son Edward. Condolences have been passed to Frances.

Robert Bicknell

Secretary, Rostrum Victoria.

800 students accepted the challenge to be involved in the 2021 Rostrum Voice of Youth program.

Due to changing covid conditions the decision was made to record the Zone Finals, in case it was not possible for the finalists to meet in Adelaide for the National Final.

In early July it became apparent that with a lockdown in NSW, the in-person National Final needed to be cancelled, and planning for a Zoom final became our new focus.

The review and planning is underway for 2022 which will culuminate in the National Final in Sydney. 

“No man can learn the art of public speaking by reading a book. To learn to swim a man must plunge into water; to learn to speak in public a man must speak to an audience.” - Sidney Wicks

Before finding Rostrum I spent a lot of money on self-help books and hypnosis sessions - trying to solve my public speaking problem the easy way. Finally though I accepted that if I wanted to conquer those fears, I’d have to speak, in public!

My name’s Sean, a proud member of Club 48 in Preston. I’m also a former Irish backpacker who's been living in Melbourne since 2009 – I’ve still got my campervan, but now I run a small design studio (you can see some of my work on recent Rostrum posts)....

How is Frontiers being used in your club? Do you have any stories to share about the exercises?

Remember that each of the activities are designed to assist members with skills that they will use in work or social situations. Each builds towards the set of skills that you need for preparing and delivering speeches. We have run training sessions for coaches and these can be viewed on our Youtube playlist. 

Let's see what some of the clubs have been doing......

My journey to Rostrum is likely similar to that of many Members. Over the last couple of years, I had been looking for an opportunity to develop my rudimentary public speaking skills in an environment where I could observe accomplished speakers and receive supportive feedback on my own efforts.

What I have come to understand in my short time at Club 10 is that Rostrum does much more than develop public speaking skills, it develops the ability for a person to put forward a structured opinion by learning to develop a theme, outline points of relevance and conclude with a statement that pulls it all together, all in a defined timeframe....

Thanks to all the members who completed our recent survey.

The Australian Rostrum Council have taken your comments and input on board and we will will adopt the recommendations of the majority of the membership.

The survey is still open for a few weeks so you can have your say by clicking this link.

Jenny Blain

Our Rostrum leaders are consulting with members to develop an agreed Rostrum mission and vision. If you have not yet completed the survey please do so. A business approach to sustain our Rostrum Brand.

With the 'lockdowns' some Rostrum Clubs are reverting to hybrid meetings.  Please send articles on how your Rostrum Club is going. It is by learning from others that we grow.

Thanks to contributors and hope that your Rostrum Club can send their own story of adopting the Frontiers exercises and coaching. I personally liked Sean's quote in this issue.

Thanks Sean also for new format.

October Edition closes 5th October 2021 - newsletter@rostrum.com.au.