Public speaking is definitely a skill that can be mastered! On 8 August, the Language Centre\u2019s Comms Lab and the Stellenbosch Toastmasters Club joined forces by hosting a demo Toastmasters meeting and information session in the Language Centre Seminar room. This was an opportunity for anyone to see first-hand how the Toastmasters do things: Prepared speeches, evaluations and impromptu speeches were presented in the structured setting of a Toastmasters meeting.<\/p>\n
Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organisation that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. Toastmasters is about self-development at one\u2019s own pace in a safe and positive environment. According to the Club\u2019s president, Zimbili Sibiya, \u201cWe\u2019re a warm and welcoming bunch and visitors are not obliged to participate in any way other than as observers \u2013 you won’t be put on the spot!\u201d Over 30 new faces attended the meeting. If you\u2019d like to attend the next Toastmasters meeting, e-mail<\/a> them for more information.<\/p>\n The Language Centre\u2019s Comms Lab is always on the look-out for partners \u2013 such as Toastmasters \u2013 to complement its superbly crafted corporate communication offering. Comms Lab courses are practical and interactive and can be tailored to specific needs. Face-to-face full-day sessions are supplemented by online learning, which creates an ideal advantage and convenient option for busy executives or office administrators. On successful completion of a course, a Certificate of Competence is awarded.<\/p>\n The Comms Lab also aims to build long-term relationships with its participants. \u201cWe can see from the number of participants re-enrolling for more of our courses that this is working. To name but a few, we\u2019ve had people from Mediclinic, ICLEI, NKC, the Rupert Foundation, Alphawave, USB and Graham Beck Wines attending courses this year,\u201d Michelle Pieters, Comms Lab coordinator, explains.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is always inspiring to see someone develop and reach the next step on their way to full potential. One of our recent stars is Sello Sekele, a young and enthusiastic trainee economist at the Bureau for Economic Research in Stellenbosch.\u201d In August, Sello attended the Comms Lab short course Crafting confident presentations<\/em> presented by Eduard de Kock, a radio personality, experienced MC and interpreter. \u201cThis practical and interactive course helped Sello gain enough confidence and public speaking skills to impress his colleagues to such an extent that one of them phoned me to tell me this!\u201d says Michelle. Well done, Sello!<\/p>\n