The British Chamber of Commerce for Italy is an independent non-profit organisation founded in 1904 with the aim of fostering good relations between Britain and Italy. In keeping with this philosophy, in 1986 it launched the English Language Consultancy Service offering Italians free counselling and objective advice from an expert in order to find the course best suited to their personal needs. All of our UK partner schools are recognised by the British Council and offer courses for adults all year round. They are selected on the basis of quality, suitability of courses and accommodation, location and value for money. Consultations take place in person, over the phone or via email and our clients range from 8 to 80 years, from Trieste to Trapani. We produce our own catalogue in Italian called “Speak to the World”, which contains general information about studying abroad and profiles of our members. We also distribute our partner schools' brochures and offer a booking service, but do not take commission on any courses booked. In 1994 the ELCS became a founder member of IALTA, the International Association of Language Travel Agents, whose aims include providing a personalised service geared towards quality rather than quantity and promoting cross-cultural understanding on an international level.