Area

AREA

Toastmasters Clubs are organized into small groups called Areas, consisting of 4-6 clubs located near one another. Areas have a name, usually two characters. These characters can be either two digits or a letter (the Division name) followed by a single digit that is the Area designation. District 79 has 62 Areas designated numerically between 1 & 62.

Mission/Purpose

The Area's mission is to funnel down the contacts, support, and assistance from district level to its clubs; so that the clubs may in turn fulfill their responsibilities to the club members and rise to their full potential to become a Distinguished Club in the whole District. The Area seeks to achieve the above vision through active support in the club officers training, close hand holding of the club officers of the new clubs till they mature, conduct Area speech contests, and to provide communication link between the district and its clubs. Area also encourages clubs to conduct specifically tailored programes to increase the awareness of Toastmasters movement among community members and benefit them from Toastmasters' Programmes.
Area Organization.

Clubs are assigned to areas (four to six clubs per area) by the district executive committee and approved by the district council. New clubs assigned to areas are reported in writing to World Headquarters at the time the club receives its charter.

Area Council:

Toastmasters International encourages areas to form councils consisting of Assistant Area Governor for Education & Training, Assistant Area Governor for Marketing, Area Secretary, Club President, Vice President Education & Vice President Membership. An area council is the management group for the area. The council helps each club in the area provide a positive and supporting learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills.

Additionally, the area council facilitates in keeping clubs focused and on track to achieve goals. The area council should meet at least twice each year. Up to 50 percent of area council meetings may be conducted via various technology options (e.g. tele or video - conference, etc.).

Area Governor:

An Area Governor is appointed by District Governor to provide support and assistance to each Club so that it may achieve the club mission and fulfill its responsibilities to the club members. Skilled Toastmasters are chosen to coordinate the efforts of the various clubs within an Area. The Area Governor is the main link between the Club and the District, providing two way communications to and from the District.

In District 79, the Area Governor is responsible for the Annual Area Speech Contests. This person usually visits each club at least twice per Toastmaster year, to observe meetings and offer suggestions and coaching to make sure the needs of the members are being met by following the Toastmasters Communications and Leadership Program. The Area Governor is part of the District Council and District Executive Committee.

Dist. Area

DISTINGUISHED AREA PROGRAM

TMI believes in rewarding merit when an Area/ Division achieve the goals it set for itself that is, success.

The Distinguished Area/ Division Program for rewarding success is by designating the Area / Division with an honor of “Distinguished”. It provides ample leadership opportunities and also the tools needed for a successful leader.

The Distinguished Area/ Division program goals are generally an offshoot of the goals District set for itself for qualifying as a Distinguished District Detailed information about this program can be found in the Distinguished Area and Division Performance Plan -- which is included in the program brochure (Area and Division Programs brochure - Item 1481). Surprisingly, the plan is a simple one, and comes with a lot of easy-to-use tools, aimed to ease your goal setting process.

A nine goals tab is used to measure an Area’s success. These goals include membership renewals, educational awards, club visits, distinguished clubs, and, club growth. Every year from July 1 through June 30, these goals must be achieved. There are three honours awarded to the Areas and they are, in the ascending order of merit, “Distinguished”, “Select Distinguished” and “President’s distinguished”.

An Area’s work is cut out, to attain each level of distinction and is as follows:

Distinguished Area Program

The Distinguished Area Program recognizes areas that plan, set goals and achieve. There are also the designations of Distinguished, Select Distinguished, and President's Distinguished.
Distinguished Area Award

At the Area level, to become Distinguished, the Area must meet four of the following five goals:

October dues renewals on time: 75% (rounded down) of the club October membership dues renewals in the Area submitted on time by November 15.
April dues renewals on time: 75% (rounded down) of the club April membership dues renewals in the Area submitted on time by May 15.
Average 1.75 CC’s per club by June 30: This average is 1.75 times the number of clubs in the Area, rounded down.
Average 1 AC per two clubs by June 30: This average is 0.5 times the number of clubs in the Area, rounded down.
60% of the clubs are distinguished: This number is 0.6 times the number of clubs in the Area, rounded down.

Select Distinguished Area

To become Select Distinguished, an Area must meet all five goals listed under Distinguished Area, and all of the following three goals:

80% of the first round of club visits completed and Area Report submitted: This number is 0.8 times the number of clubs in the Area, rounded down, by November 30.
80% of the second round of club visits completed and Area Report submitted: This number is 0.8 times the number of clubs in the Area, rounded down, by May 31.
60% of the clubs have 20-plus paid members by June 30: This number is 0.6 times the number of clubs in the Area, rounded down, by June 30. Transfer-in members do not count until they have paid dues while in the club.

Presidents Distinguished Area

Finally, to become Presidents Distinguished, an Area must meet all eight goals required for Select Distinguished, and:

Net gain of one paid club by June 30: This is the number of clubs in the Area as of July 1 plus one by June 30. All of those clubs must be paid clubs.

Status Reports for Distinction

The status of the Area can be found on the District 79 Performance Report called “Distinguished Division / Area” on Toastmasters’ International website.

Resources:

222 District Leadership Handbook

Reproduced by TM Subha Anupindi

Area Governor

AREA GOVERNOR

Each Area has chief executive officer – an Area Governor. An Area Governor is usually appointed by the District Governor and approved by the District Council. This approval normally occurs at one of the District conferences.

An Area Governor is assigned to help the executives of the clubs in the Area to provide quality programs for members. An Area Governor is appointed as a resource person and the Club's principal contact with the District Governor and with Toastmasters International.

Qualification (at the time of taking office)

Insofar as practicable, an area governor should have served as a member of a district council (e.g., club president, vice president education, or district officer) and must be a member in good standing of a Toastmasters club in good standing. An area governor is eligible for reelection or reappointment for one succeeding term only.

Each June or July all of the Division and Area Governors, along with their assistants undergo training program recommended by Toastmasters International. Governors also receive a comprehensive manual.

What Does an Area Governor Do?

An Area Governor serves for a full Toastmasters Year (July 1 through June 30th) to guide and assist the clubs within his/her Area.

Responsibilities:

Serve as a member of the executive committee and district council.
Uphold the policies and bylaws of Toastmasters International, the District administrative bylaws and policies established by the District Council, following them to the best of his or her ability.
Serve under the direction of the District Governor through the Division Governor. Receive guidance from the Lieutenant Governor Education and Training, Lieutenant Governor Marketing, and Public Relations Officer.
Report regularly to the Division Governor on Area progress.
Serve as chairman of the Area Council.
Participate in Area Governor Training provided by the District.
Is responsible for achieving Distinguished Area Program goals and for ensuring that each area club is a Distinguished Club.

Basic Duties and Expectations

Keep in regular contact with club presidents in the area
Visit Club meetings a minimum of twice during the year, evaluating and assisting, and complete Visit Forms on time (Oct 31 and April 30). Make other informal club visits for things such as installing club officers.
Make a presentation during the Club visit on one or more of the following topics: - Distinguished Club Program, Communication and Leadership Tracks, Membership growth and development
Ensure that each club understands the service roles of the Area Governor and the District.
Encourage and assist Club Officers to maintain an effective educational program, recruitment program, and executive committee meetings and be responsible for the health and well-being of Clubs in the Area.
Promote, encourage, and assist, as needed, the use of the Club Success Plan and the Distinguished Club program.
Represent Toastmasters International to Clubs in the Area and act as liaison officer between District 79 and the Clubs through the club Presidents).
Hold regular Area Council meetings for Club Presidents and Vice Presidents Education and Vice Presidents Membership to discuss each club’s plans and goals in the Distinguished Club Program; review attendance at club officer training and discuss plans for inter-club events (e.g., training, time and place of area speech contests).
Plan and coordinate an Area Speech contest in spring (prior to Division and district contests) with the assistance of Area Council Members.
Encourage Club Member participation in all District activities.
Encourage club officers to participate in district-provided club officer training.
Contact each club President at least monthly by phone or email to share information, recognize achievements, and offer assistance.
assist district officers in helping to build new clubs within the area or division and ensure no net Club loss in the Area
Attend all District Executive Committee meetings, District Council meetings, and keep Clubs informed regularly.
Attend both district training session for Area Governors (Summer and Winter) and district conferences.
Keep Division Governor informed of activities and complete specifics for above goals to become a Distinguished Area, Select Distinguished Area, or President’s Distinguished Area.
Prepare successor to assume office, completing steps necessary for an orderly transfer of office by June 30.

What is in it for you as an Area Governor?

Learn and practice leadership skills outside of your Club
Share your knowledge and experience with other Clubs
Learn from other Toastmaster Clubs
Help other Clubs achieve Distinguished status or better
Meet Toastmasters from other Clubs
Gain satisfaction from helping others meet their personal goals
Assist in District 79 management and decisions
Earn credit toward Toastmasters Advanced Leadership Silver award
Become a better communicator as you interact with Toastmasters serving in a variety of positions and having a diversity of skills

Resources:

222 District Leadership Handbook

Reproduced by TM Subha Anupindi

Area Governor's Diary

AREA GOVERNOR'S DIARY

JUNE Tell your home club VP Education about your new responsibilities as Governor and modify your home club commitments to reflect reality! Request Toastmasters from the clubs in your Area to be your Assistant Governor for Education & Training, Assistant Governor for Marketing, PRO, Treasurer & Secretary. Attend Leadership (Div/Area Governor) training Contact all club presidents in your area. Establish rapport and ask to attend a meeting in late July or early August. Meet one-on-one with incoming Division Governor. Update Division Governor of the status of your Club visits and health of the Clubs Obtain list of area clubs and contact information for club officers in your area. Create an email distribution list for your area or division. Send an email to each club's officers confirming your visit date and asking if you may have a copy of their DCP and a Visitor/New Member packet when you arrive. Ensure that the District 79 newsletter, Rainbow…..A Carnival of Colors is received by club officers in your area. Remind Clubs to update their Club information and Officer list and remind them of the Beat the Clock Award Continue to follow up with every club until this is done, even past the deadline. Send a copy of each Club's DCP status to Club Presidents and encourage them to continue to achieve and send in all paperwork for their awards June-August: Get club officers trained (TLI and division make-up training).	JULY Follow up on outstanding Club paperwork: Semis, Club Officer Lists, Proxies Encourage club officers to attend TLI & COT (Club Officer Training) & division make-up training). Attend Leadership Div/Area Gov Training Contact Club Presidents and Schedule first round club visits and installation of Officers.Conduct First Official Six Month Visit Focus on Clubs' goals for the New Toastmasters Year and encourage them to complete a Club Success Plan Get the video "Everybody's Talking about Toastmasters" (#4007) from your Division Governor. Develop Plan to strengthen low-member Clubs Identify possible New Club Leads; send letters with a Publicity Pack Copy your Division Governor and/or Lt. Governor Marketing with email versions of the letters so they are ready to assist. Call prospects for potential new clubs and ask for an appointment in July. Ask the Lt. Governor Marketing if you want help in making this call. Set up demo meetings for August with the help of Division Council. Ask Lt. Governor Marketing if you want help with this call. Plan your High Performance Leadership Project a
AUGUST Attend Leadership Div/Area Gov Training Complete Club Officer Training. Monitor club officer training results on www. Toastmasters.org Follow-up on any discrepancies. Conduct Area Council Meeting (invite the Club Presidents, VP-Es & VP-Ms) - Review progress against DCP's, - Schedule and plan Area contest, - Order trophies and Certificates Continue to visit your Area's Clubs, get the dues collection process started and send them information on the Smedley Award Complete first visit to all clubs. Complete Submission of Club visit reports on line Arrange Club Coach Assignment to Clubs with less than 10. Revisit Clubs with Less than15 Members. Update Division Governor of the status of your Club visits and health of the Clubs Identify possible new club leads. Report them to LGM Review area progress against report at www.toastmasters.org for your area. Meet with your High Performance Leadership Team	SEPTEMBER Make sure Club Officer Training records are submitted to TI by September 30. Follow up on specific club needs and recognize New Member Sponsors and Mentors Continue to visit your Clubs, remind them to submit the semi-annual report and dues before the 30th September and remind them of the Smedley Award Update Club visits on Toastmasters International Website Update Division Governor of the status of your Club visits and health of the Clubs Identify possible new club leads. Report them to LGM Review area progress against report at www.toastmasters.org for your area. Continue to progress with your High Performance Leadership Project
OCTOBER Hold Area Council meeting Follow up on any Club with outstanding dues. Help any Club that has not yet submitted its semi-annual dues Continue to visit and support your Clubs Call all clubs which meet weekly and remind them to hold Semi Annual officer Elections in late November or Early December Identify possible new club leads. Report them to the LGM Review area progress against report at www.toastmasters.org for your area. Check the status of your clubs on the following criteria: Do you have more than 60% of clubs at 20 members? Have at least 75% of your clubs turned in their semiannual dues? Check whether you will have a 1 CC & 1 AC for each in your area by December. Are all of your clubs on track to be Distinguished? Continue to progress with your High Performance Leadership Project	NOVEMBER Hold Area Council meeting Revisit clubs with less than 15 members / encourage growth/ quality Continue to visit and support your Clubs Remind Clubs that meet weekly to hold their Club Officer elections Call clubs at end of month and verify new club officer information has been updated with Toastmasters Identify possible new club leads. Report them to the LGM Review area progress against report at www.toastmasters.org for your area. Update Division Governor of the status of your Club visits and health of the Clubs Continue to progress with your High Performance Leadership Project
DECEMBER Encourage Club Officers to attend club officer training (second round, mid-year review) Attend Div/Area Governor training Remind Clubs that meet weekly to update their Club information and Officer list with International Monitor submission of new officer lists, as applicable Hold Area Council meeting. Update Division Governor of the status of your Club visits and health of the Clubs Continue to visit and support your Clubs Take a deep breath and measure how much you have grown as a leader in the past six months Identify possible new club leads; report them to the LGM Review area progress against report at www.toastmasters.org for your area. Continue to progress with your High Performance Leadership Project	JANUARY Train or remind Club Officers to be trained by the end of the February Attend Div/Area Governor training Encourage clubs to conduct Speechcraft Contact Club Presidents and Schedule club visits (second round) Focus on Clubs' goals for the remainder of the year, encourage them to complete a new Club Success Plan, and help them focus on attainable goals toward the Distinguished Club Program Hold Area Council meeting. Remind VP-Es to schedule the Club Contests (International, Humorous, Table Topics, or Evaluation) for February Continue to visit and support your Clubs Plan your Area Contest (select a site, a contest master, and a chief judge) and give Area Clubs responsibilities Identify possible new club leads; report them to the LGM Review area progress against report at www.toastmasters.org for your area. Continue to progress with your High Performance Leadership Project
FEBRUARY Finish club visits. Submit club visit on line Attend TELI (Club officer training). Train or remind Club Officers to be trained by the end of the month Continue to visit your Area's Clubs, get the dues collection process started and send them information on the Talk Up Toastmasters Award Conduct Area Council Meeting Update Division Governor of the status of your Club visits and health of the Clubs Attend Club Contests and lend a hand Plan your Area Contest (select a site, a contest master, and a chief judge) and give Area Clubs responsibilities Visit all clubs with less than 15 members/encourage growth/ quality Identify possible new club leads; report them to the LGM Review area progress against report at www.toastmasters.org for your area. Continue to progress with your High Performance Leadership Project	MARCH Register & prepare for District Toastmasters Annual Conference (DTAC) Conduct Area Speech contests Attend Leadership Div/Area Governor training Club Officer Training records due to TI by March 31. Continue to visit your Clubs, remind them to submit the semi-annual report and dues before the 31st and remind them of the Talk Up Toastmasters Award Conduct Area Speech Contest Update Division Governor of the status of your Club visits and health of the Clubs Update Club visits on Toastmasters International Website Encourage Club members to attend the Division Contests Identify possible new club leads. Report them to LGM Review area progress against report at www.toastmasters.org for your area. Wrap up your High Performance Leadership Project Meet with your High Performance Leadership Team I Hold Area Council Meeting Support Division Governor in Division Contest Call all clubs - make sure International proxies have been sent to District Governor
APRIL Register & Prepare for Division Contest Follow up on clubs who did not submit dues Check that clubs submitted proxies to District Governor Encourage clubs to develop Nominating Committee Register & prepare for District Toastmasters Annual Conference (DTAC) Continue to visit and support your Clubs Help any Club that has not yet submitted its semi-annual dues Attend and assist your Division Governor with their Division Contests Encourage Club members to attend the District Conference Send a copy of each Club's DCP status to Club Presidents and encourage them to continue to achieve Call all clubs and remind to hold officer elections in early May Identify possible new club leads. Report them to LGM Review area progress against report at www.toastmasters.org for your area.	MAY Attend and assist your Division Governor with the Division Contest Encourage clubs to hold officer elections and submit lists to TI, District Follow up on outstanding club paperwork: semiannual dues, officer lists, proxies, CCs, ACs Conduct Area Council Meeting to elect Area Governor and submit the new Area Governors’ name at District Council Meeting Continue to visit and support your Clubs and inform them of the Beat the Clock Award Encourage Club members to attend the District Conference Attend your District Conference and revel in the admiration of other Toastmasters when you walk by with your Area Governor Pin! Attend your District Conference and celebrate the success of the District Update Division Governor of the status of your Club visits and health of the Clubs Send a copy of each Club's DCP status to Club Presidents and encourage them to continue to achieve Revisit clubs with less than 15 members / encourage growth/ quality Call clubs at end of month and verify new club officer information has been updated with Toastmasters Identify possible new club leads. Report them to LGM Review area progress against report at www.toastmasters.org for your area.
JUNE Follow-up on outstanding club paperwork: semiannual dues, officer lists, proxies, CCs, ACs Select Area TMOY, forward to Div. Governor Begin the transition to the Area Governor Help prepare your successor for upcoming year Finalize year-end financial report, forward to Division Governor Update Division Governor of the status of your Club visits and health of the Clubs Remind Clubs to update their Club information and Officer list and remind them of the Beat the Clock Award Send a copy of each Club's DCP status to Club Presidents and encourage them to continue to achieve and send in all paperwork for their awards Congratulate the Club Officers for the job they have done in the Toastmasters year Take a deep breath and measure how much you have grown as a leader in the past year Follow up on clubs that haven't updated club officer information with International Continue transition to the 2004-05 Area Governor Review area progress against report atwww.toastmasters.org for your area.	Each Area Governor should have a net club growth of one club.

Resources:

222 District Leadership Handbook

Reproduced by TM Subha Anupindi

Resources:

222 District Leadership Handbook

Reproduced by TM Subha Anupindi