Achievements & Testimonials

Bosphorus Toastmasters has recently been awarded with the PRESIDENT'S DISTINGUISED CLUB award. Toastmasters International rates its clubs on how well they encourage members to pursue their personal public speaking and leadership goals/designations. We have achieved President's Distinguished Club rating, the highest rating that Toastmasters International gives to its clubs.

What does the award signify?

A club must show it’s run well in several key areas to win awards on the Distinguished Club Program. Performance is measured by:

the number of members that complete their educational awards
how effectively the club recruits new members and maintains its numbers
collecting membership dues and paying TMI in a timely fashion
electing a new committee and submitting those details to TMI in a timely fashion
whether the committee attends club officer training events

How is performance measured?

A club has the opportunity to score 10 points:

A maximum of 6 points are awarded for helping members achieve their educational awards
A maximum of 2 points are awarded based on the number of new members recruited
A maximum of 1 point is awarded for completing the key administrations tasks of submitting officer lists at the end of the TM year and collecting dues from members on time during the two renewal periods
A maximum of 1 point is awarded for ensuring the requisite number of club officers attend training

Clubs that achieve:

5 points are awarded the Distinguished Club Award
7 points are awarded the Select Distinguished Club Award
9 points are awarded the President’s Distinguished Club Award, the highest accolade a club can receive!

Testimonials

''I heard about Toastmasters for the first time after moving to Istanbul. I can vouch that Toastmasters is not

only a place to develop your public speaking skills, but also a perfect place to meet valuable and

quality people from all over the world. It's a great way to make new friends and adapt quickly to a country

you moved to especially for introverted immigrants like me.''

- Sura Aghazada

''Although I had the scariest experience in Bosphorus Toastmasters (making speeches in front of a crowd),

it was also a very beneficial experience in my life. I would definitely like to join more meetings in future.''

-Erkan Cantotay

''What a truly wonderful experience meeting my fellow Toastmasters. It's really an amazing place to be in! I am learning much more in every meeting compared to all the other public speaking trainings I have attended. No exaggeration!

I consider myself a student of public speaking and presentation skills.''

- Dilara Kamil

''Two years ago, all I wanted was to better my speaking skills. When I googled three words -"Taksim, English and Speaking" I came across Toastmasters! I would like to say that I got what I was looking for in Bosphorus Toastmasters.

I haven't just improved my English speaking skills, I have also improved on my public speaking skills and

I've met a lot of amazing people. I really love my Bosphorus Toastmasters family!''

- Ayşenur Özdemir

''I became a member of the Bosphorus Toastmasters Club 6 months ago. At first, I was expecting it to be just another club where one meet self-promoters whose only aim is to do some networking. However, I must say that I found a very welcoming and supportive environment in BTM. Just like any other skills, public speaking and leadership skills can be improved over time if you have the right mindset and an environment where you can shine.

So far, I've met awesome people in BTM who are really supportive and encouraging through my journey of becoming a better speaker and leader. In every step, I try to use the valuable feedback that I received from my fellow Toastmasters

and I am very happy with my progression in just 6 months after I became a member. Now, I feel more confident on stage

when I am talking in front of dozens of people.''

- Emre Özmen

''Being in Bosphorus Toastmasters showed me that there is something more than just being on stage just for the sake of being in the limelight. I was used to making presentations when I was doing my undergraduate however, working specifically on public speaking turned out to be a demanding but fruitful exercise. Apart from pushing my public speaking to a higher level, our club, Bosphorus Toastmasters gave me new opportunities through the different networks made in its different sessions.''

- Manohur Chand Poonyth

''The friendly atmosphere of Bosphorus Toastmasters Club is a starting point to eliminate your mistakes of public speaking,

because you are practising in front of friends and you don't feel embarrassed but encouraged!''

- Samer Dablan / TurkeyKey.com

''Bosphorus Toastmasters Club has transformed my life in Istanbul by allowing me to connect with positive people from all walks of life, who are all seeking personal development and self-improvement. It’s a lively community that makes me always feel home and welcomed. Over the years, my fear of public speaking has decreased, and my confidence has strengthened. I’m so thankful to have our club- I get my biweekly dose of motivation and inspiration!''

- Maika Endo

''I see that there is a common belief all Toastmasters share: “One is the alchemist of his/her life. The universe, perfect for 14 billion years, has given you everything you need to thrive.” This is why each Toastmasters’ meeting has a huge potential to make a positive impact in one’s life.''

- Fatih Kılıçaslan

"I joined Toastmasters 1 year ago, and the only thing I regretted since then is that I did not join earlier. In Bosphorus Toastmasters, I came to know more people and more about myself. I have always felt nervous when I am in front of an audience, but the more speeches I do, the more in control I am of myself. "

- Feras Kiki

''When I first joined a Toastmasters meeting as a guest, I thought everyone in the room had sugar overdose - people there were all energetic and charged up! Later when I joined Bosphorus Toastmasters as a member, I realised why; the community and environment are just warm, positive, friendly and supportive, it's in fact the culture of the club!

I had a fear of public speaking (I still do but more before than now) but I feel safe and in good hands in my Toastmasters club. NO ONE stands alone here, everyone is here to help each other - that's the beauty and spirit of a Toastmaster!

I consider my fellow Toastmasters as my family here in Istanbul. Aside from improving on my public speaking skills,

I've met the most amazing, interesting and kindest people here!''

- Shaf Badaruddin

''I tried to be as active as possible in making speeches in Bosphorus Toastmasters and it has been both

beneficial (learnt a lot of new skills) and challenging (lots of stress at times) but I am now more convinced than ever

that stepping outside of your comfort zone is a necessity to grow as a person.

I love the socializing part of the club and have made a lot of new friends especially international ones.

This makes me feel like I'm back in my university days in London - which were some of the best days of my life!

Thanks a lot to all the contributors of Bosphorus Toastmasters!''

- Turhan Yardımcı