Toastmasters is not a "rhetoric course", though we follow excellent guidelines which have been professionally prepared and used for many years (with continual updating). It is a club where members learn and practice several skills including rhetoric, constructive evaluation and leadership.
In one year of attending Toastmasters meetings (21*2 hours) the rhetoric training is about equivalent to a 3-day course - but everybody gets to speak much more frequently than in such a course. We are not led by a "trainer" - we all help each other. Also, membership costs about $80 per year, not on the same scale as a professional course.
Toastmasters is not for "English learners". The Swiss clubs all work in English, and attendees must be fluent at advanced or intermediate level to benefit from attending. It is useful for professionals who benefit from a non-challenging environment to practice their skills. We spend a little time on speakers' "grammatical mistakes" and we encourage colorful phraseology. More than half our members are of non-English mother tongue.
Among our members are English teachers as well as professionals from many fields, but they are not attending as instructors. We do have frequent mini-seminars from experienced members and invited guests on topics appropriate to Toastmasters.
Let me emphasize, that the mutual assistance, social atmosphere and networking are appreciated by members even more than the formal incentives for self-improvement.
Toastmasters is not a place to promote any particular views. It is politically neutral on all topics. Especially in debates and impromptu speaking, you may have to present ideas with which you disagree. The topics themselves are not discussed (except perhaps after at the bar). We concentrate on their delivery.
Toastmasters does not have a "clubhouse". Toastmasters Bern, Zurich, Geneva and Zug are elements of a global organisation with a pyramid structure. Members are welcome at any of the 6000 other public clubs, anywhere in the world. Members can assist in the organisation and participate in local area, district and international meetings, competing up to the level of "World Champion of Public Speaking".