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Source:
www.mcys.gov.sg |
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MAXIMISING OPPORTUNITIES IN
THE LOCAL DATING INDUSTRY |
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The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) has
introduced new initiatives to raise standards in the local dating
industry. |
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These initiatives to expand the private sector's role and
professionalise the industry were announced by Minister of State for
Community Development, Youth and Sports Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon at The
Partner Connection, an industry trade seminar, on 17 November 2006. |
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Seed Funding to Assist Companies |
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Seed funding will be provided through The Partner Connection Fund, a
million-dollar fund set up in 2005 to create platforms to share industry
best practices, promote the demand for dating services, establish an
accreditation framework as well as upgrade and professionalise industry
players. |
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Companies embarking on new services or activities that provide gender
balanced social interaction opportunities to singles are eligible to
apply. |
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The Partner Connection Fund will fund up to 80% of the costs incurred
for approved projects, subject to a cap of $50,000. |
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Successful applicants can use the funds in areas such as marketing and
promotion of dating services, training and accreditation fees. |
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These agencies must meet key guidelines such as screening all clients'
marital status against ROM/ROMM records regularly and offering
matchmaking or dating services which target local resident singles. |
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Interested parties can download the application form at
www.mcys.gov.sg or call hotline
no.: 1800-7373142 for more details. |
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Applications will be assessed by an evaluation panel co-chaired by Ms
Claire Chiang, a well-respected businesswoman and advisor to Romancing
Singapore and Mrs Tan Hwee Seh, Coordinating Director, Family
Development Group of MCYS. |
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The panel comprises young community leaders and representatives from
MCYS, SPRING and other relevant private sector businesses. Mrs Yu-Foo
serves as an advisor to this panel. |
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Introducing Accreditation to Professionalise the Local Dating
Industry |
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An accreditation scheme will be introduced for the local dating
industry in mid-2007. The accredited agencies will carry the
Social Development Unit (SDU) Trust Mark. |
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Dating agencies are required to meet accreditation standards in
areas such as proper screening of clients against the records of
the Registries of Marriages and Muslim Marriages and ensuring that
members' database is kept confidential. |
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In addition, dating practitioners can apply for professional
training and competency certification, which will be offered under
the Workforce Development Agency's (WDA) Workforce Skills
Qualifications (WSQ) framework. |
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The SDU will set up two national registries, namely a Registry of
Dating Practitioners and a Registry of Dating Agencies. Singles
will be able to assess information on accredited dating agencies
and dating practitioners readily. |
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Partnership with Private Sector and Community Groups |
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In its efforts to professionalise the local dating industry, SDU
has received feedback from singles that they wanted continued
assurance of credible activities and services offered by the
private sector. |
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SDU will thus work in partnership with the industry in six key
ways: |
- An accreditation body
- A facilitator to create more social interaction opportunities
for singles in natural social settings through the forging of
partnerships with employers, community and commercial sectors
- A domain expert that shares good practices with industry players
- An enabler that ensures that the right infrastructure and
support are put in place
- A promoter of quality, ethical and credible agencies and dating
practitioners; and
- A public educator on singlehood issues |
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SDU has already started to partner and engage the private sector
in creating more opportunities for singles to meet. |
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SDS, on the other hand, has been working at the grassroots level
through its Family Life Champions to reach out to more singles at
the community level. |
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The progress of the industry will be monitored closely while SDU
and SDS gradually ease out of direct services in tandem with the
growth of the industry. SDU and SDS members can be assured that
the service level will not be compromised. |
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Over the next few months, SDU will be engaging singles, industry
players and interested businesses in a series of dialogue sessions
on the changes affecting the industry. |
ISSUED BY
MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, YOUTH AND SPORTS
17
NOV 2006 |
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Source:
www.mcys.gov.sg Media Release
17 Nov 2006 |
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Notice |
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FrontPage Edition: Sun 19 November 2006
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