Seven dating agencies and nine dating practitioners were awarded the Social Development Unit (SDU) Trust Mark today, marking a significant milestone for the local dating industry.
The agencies and practitioners received their accreditation from Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, in a ceremony held at the annual The Partner Connection Trade Seminar organised by the SDU. The list of the recipients is attached at Annex A.
Associate Professor Paulin Straughan, Chairperson of the Accreditation Council for the Dating Industry, said: ''This is a major move to build confidence in the dating services in Singapore. We now have a system to mark out credible dating agencies and practitioners that will provide our singles with the quality assurance that they are looking for. Clear indicators and criteria were drawn up so that my Council could assess the accreditation applications in a systematic and transparent manner. Such a fair and rigorous system would enable us to differentiate the genuine players from the fly by night agencies.''
The SDU Trust Mark accreditation system was launched in July 2007 by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. To be accredited, dating practitioners and owners have to undergo rigorous training under the Workforce Skills Qualifications System. They are also subjected to strict assessment to ensure they comply with the Code of Professional Conduct and accreditation standards and criteria.
Mrs Yu-Foo commented: ''Some 85% of singles surveyed in the Study on Marriage and Parenthood 2007 indicated an intention to get married. In another Survey on Singles' Attitudes Towards Marriage and Courtship 2005, 72% of singles said they would like to have more opportunities to meet people of the opposite gender. We want to help singles who wish to get married achieve their aspiration."
"In recent years, we have put in place various initiatives, one of the most critical being the accreditation framework. It is important that as we encourage singles to expand their social network and explore opportunities, we provide credible platforms for them to socialise. Singles deserve the assurance that the dating services they utilise have their interest in mind. The accredited agencies will not only assure them of quality services, but also provide more interesting and out-of-the-box dating activities.''
A Mark Backed by Solid Training
The SDU Trust Mark is a stamp of professionalism and demands the same from the recipients. They are expected to uphold the standards and integrity of the dating service, whether as a practitioner, or an agency.
The pioneer batch took between 6 to 9 months to earn the accreditation status. They attended compulsory training in courses such as ''Establish and Manage a Dating Agency'' for dating agency owners and ''Organise a Dating Event'' for dating practitioners. These courses were co-developed by SDU and the Workforce Development Authority under the latter's Workforce Skills Qualification framework. It was only after they were assessed to be competent in the required courses that they could apply for accreditation.
The applicants were then assessed against the Code of Professional Conduct, which serves to guide dating agencies and practitioners in the performance of their professional responsibilities. It expresses the basic tenets of professional and ethical conduct that dating agencies and practitioners abide by. They were also assessed against the Accreditation Criteria and Standards, for which they demonstrated compliance.
Growing a Vibrant Dating Industry at the 4th Partner Connection Trade Seminar
Ms Claire Chiang, Co-Chair of The Partner Connection Fund Evaluation Panel, and a leading advisor to private dating businesses, said: ''Learning from credible international dating agencies and professionals is an important aspect in maintaining the growth momentum of our local industry. We have a line-up of esteemed speakers this year, from Korea, to United Kingdom, to the People's Republic of China. We have also included a segment on marketing and branding strategies. This is our way of strengthening existing and aspiring dating agencies - by providing practical tips and information. Ultimately, not only will the industry benefit, singles will also enjoy better services.''
There are two Korean speakers - Mr Hyeong Nam-Kyu, Director, Duo Marriage Co Ltd (Korea), and Mr Lee Woong Jin, CEO, Sunoo, Inc. (Korea). They are speaking on the topics of ''Efforts of Duo and Korea's Matchmaking Industry'' and ''Going IT in Matchmaking'' respectively.
Others speakers and topics include Mr Carl Christensen, Founder, Slow Dating (UK) on ''Best of Present and Future Systems''; Mr Wang Wei Ming, President, Committee for the Matchmaking Industry (China) on ''Steps to Take in Formulating the Industry's Service Standards''; and Mr Luke Lim, Founder and CEO, A.S. Louken Group (Singapore) on ''Lasting Attraction - Secure Customers by Matching Your Business with the Right Brand Strategy''.
Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, said, ''Singles today are faced with many life choices and competing interests. It is important that we support those who desire to get married do so in a conducive environment that makes it easy for them to date and find the special someone. Developing the industry is one key way. Other initiatives include the merge of SDU and Social Development Services (SdS) to cater to singles; upstream efforts to inculcate in the young the right attitude towards marriage and family life; and working through significant touch-points such as workplaces, the community, and Institutes of Higher Learning to help singles.''
SDU will continue to work with relevant partners through this multi-pronged approach to address the diverse needs of singles and help them in their marriage endeavours.
MCYS MEDIA RELEASE NO: 59/2008
DATE OF ISSUE: 05/11/2008
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ANNEX A
List of Accredited Dating Agencies
1. 323 Communications Pte Ltd (more commonly known as GoMovieDate.com)
2. Clique Wise LLP
3. Eteract.com Pte Ltd
4. Lunch Actually Pte Ltd
5. Singles Mingle Pte Ltd
6. The Dating Loft Pte Ltd
7. Who Works Around You Pte Ltd
List of Accredited Practitioners
1. Ms Betty Goh, Who Works Around You Pte Ltd
2. Mr Deidre Pereira, Lunch Actually Pte Ltd
3. Mr Jackiey Kwek, Clique Wise LLP
4. Mr Jamie Lim, Eteract.com Pte Ltd
5. Mr Kelvin Ong, Singles Mingle Pte Ltd.
6. Ms Lydia Gan, Clique Wise LLP
7. Mr Matthew Tan, 323 Communications
8. Ms Soh Hui Wen, The Dating Loft Pte Ltd
9. Ms Violet Lim, Lunch Actually Pte Ltd