Established in 1924, Toastmasters International is a world leader at helping people become more competent and comfortable in front of an audience. The nonprofit has over 280,000 members in 14,700 clubs around the world, offering a proven, fun way to practice and hone communication and leadership skills.

Most meetings are comprised of approximately 20 people who meet weekly for an hour or two. Participants practice and learn skills by filling a meeting role, ranging from giving a prepared speech or an impromptu one to serving as timer, evaluator or grammarian.  There is no instructor; instead, each speech and meeting is critiqued by a member in a positive manner, focusing on what was done right and what could be improved.

There are over 80 local Toastmasters clubs throughout Ventura County. They meet on different days of the week in various locations, in the morning, during the day or at night.

First step is to find a local club.  There is a search function at www.toastmasters.org that allows you to search for a club by zip code, by meeting day and by meeting time. 

Here is just a sampling of some of the 80+ local Toastmasters clubs in Ventura County and adjacent areas:

• Camarillo Evening Toastmasters (camarillo.toastmastersclubs.org) meets Tuesday evenings

• Conejo Valley Toastmasters (1864.toastmastersclubs.org) meets Monday nights in Thousand Oaks on Janss Road near the 23.

• Daybreakers of Westlake Toastmasters (3332.toastmastersclubs.org) meets Wednesday mornings in Westlake Village.

• Rhetorical Link Toastmasters of Conejo Valley (6765.toastmastersclubs.org) meets Thursday nights in Thousand Oaks.

• Ventura Toastmasters (since 1934) (www.venturatoastmasters.com) meets Monday nights.

• Moorpark Toastmasters (1038927.toastmastersclubs.org) meets Wednesday nights at the Moorpark Chamber of Commerce.

• Calabasas Toastmasters (9655.toastmastersclubs.org) meets alternate Monday nights.

• Ventura Sunrise Toastmasters (5575.toastmastersclubs.org) meets Tuesday mornings.

• Sandpiper Toastmasters (1224.toastmastersclubs.org) meets Wednesday mornings in Ventura.

• ACE Toastmasters (1038926.toastmastersclubs.org) meets 2nd and 4th Tuesday nights in Newbury Park.

• Speaking 101 Toastmaster’s Club (7548.toastmastersclubs.org) meets at lunch on Tuesdays at Cal Lutheran.

• Thousand Oaks Toastmasters at Lunch (TOTAL) (1934.toastmastersclubs.org/) meets on Thursdays at noon at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.

• Thousand Oaks Toastmasters (2847612.toastmastersclubs.org/) meets on Tuesdays at noon at the Civic Arts Plaza Oak Room.

• Los Amigos Toastmasters (2224.toastmastersclubs.org) is a bilingual club that meets Thursday nights in Oxnard