Looking for ways to help small clubs, but can’t find coaches to help them?  D72 (New Zealand) has developed a very interesting group/virtual coaching approach, the MAX Plan, based on the Rising Star Program from D10/D28/D61.

They’ve developed a 40-page document that explains just how to go about it, and they’ve had some very strong success.  The prime target is small clubs (12 or less members without a coach), and secondarily, medium-size clubs that may have stagnated (13-18 members).  Often, distance is a problem, some clubs may be hours distant or hundreds of miles away from other clubs.

The goals are to help the club become distinguished (like a club coach), but also to be positioned for long-term growth, through educating officers and improving awareness of the Toastmasters program potential.

It starts with a half-day foundation workshop (usually done at the division level), followed up by virtual coaching, and 4-8 months later, a follow-up session.  A full set of handouts and an outline of the presentation material is included, with some great resources.

With the permission of the author, Murray Coutts (District 72 Lt. Gov’r of Marketing), I’m posting the document (also on the Resources page on my web site), in hopes that others will benefit from this unique approach to helping small clubs improve.  Take a few minutes to download it and skim it over, talk about it with your fellow Toastmasters leaders.  If it seems like it might work, give it a try!

In the comments here, I’d love to hear what you think are the biggest challenges to finding club coaches, and whether this virtual team approach might help.