What is a Gavel Club？

Gavel Clubs Overview

A Gavel Club is the youth wing of Toastmasters International, designed primarily for students under 18 or groups ineligible for regular Toastmasters membership. Other circumstances include bringing the Toastmasters experience to correctional centers or community organizations. Members are referred to as gaveliers.

Gavel Clubs follow Toastmasters meeting protocols and use club officer titles and educational manuals such as Competent Communication (CC) and Competent Leadership (CL). Meetings are typically held weekly, and the clubs operate in the same way as adult Toastmasters clubs. Gavel Clubs also provide community service opportunities to Toastmasters members and clubs.

Purpose and Benefits

Through participation in a Gavel Club, members learn to:

  • Overcome nervousness when speaking before an audience
  • Organize and present ideas logically and convincingly
  • Listen carefully and respectfully to others’ ideas
  • Lead group discussions and meetings
  • Offer constructive feedback to help others improve

Members develop essential speaking and leadership skills such as eye contact, body language, vocal variety, and use of visual aids through consistent practice, mentorship, and teamwork.

Formation Requirements

To form a Gavel Club, a group must meet at least one of the following:

  • Must not be eligible to charter as a regular Toastmasters club
  • Must include members who are under 18

All groups must also adhere to the following:

  1. Must have the approval or endorsement of its host institution
  2. Must use the program, procedures, materials, and services of Toastmasters International
  3. Must apply to Toastmasters International for a Certificate of Affiliation

Prospective members and parents are welcome to visit meetings at any time, although clubs may limit visitors if space is crowded.

Typical Meeting Agenda

Gavel Club meetings have three main parts:

  1. Prepared Speeches – Members deliver speeches prepared in advance based on well-defined Toastmasters goals and guidelines.
  2. Table Topics – Impromptu speeches delivered by members volunteering to answer questions chosen by the Table Topics Master.
  3. Evaluations – Each speech is evaluated by a designated evaluator to provide immediate, constructive feedback on strengths and improvement areas.

Meeting Roles

  • Toastmaster – Hosts and directs the meeting.
  • Table Topics Master – Leads the Table Topics portion of the meeting.
  • General Evaluator – Introduces the speech evaluators and evaluates the entire meeting.
  • Meeting Speaker – Delivers prepared speeches and acts as a role model for others.
  • Evaluator – Provides verbal and written feedback to speakers.
  • Table Topics Speaker – Delivers impromptu speeches.
  • Ah-Counter – Notes overused words or filler sounds to sharpen members’ awareness.
  • Grammarian – Helps members improve grammar and vocabulary.
  • Timer – Monitors the time for all segments and speakers.

History

The Gavel Club was established in 1958 by Toastmasters International, the same organization that runs Toastmasters clubs worldwide. At that time, Toastmasters leaders recognized that many people wanted to practice public speaking and leadership but didn’t meet the official requirements to start a regular Toastmasters club. To include them, Toastmasters created an alternative club format — the Gavel Club — which follows the same educational structure as Toastmasters but operates under a separate set of guidelines.

Early Gavel Clubs included:

  • High school and college students (under 18)
  • Patients in hospitals or rehabilitation centers
  • Community organizations with limited funding or eligibility

Today, there are thousands of Gavel Clubs worldwide, in schools, universities, and youth programs — all helping young people grow into confident communicators and leaders. Gavel Clubs continue to uphold the same values of growth, respect, and continuous self-improvement that Toastmasters has maintained since 1924.