SINGAPORE : Singles looking for love can look forward to new subsidised dating packages now available from the Social Development Network (SDN) - formerly the merged Social Development Unit (SDU) and Social Development Services (SDS).

The new initiative aims to provide more activities for singles to widen their social circles, and the network is getting nine accredited dating agencies to provide such services.

To kick-start this initiative, a sampler dating package worth over S$500 is now being offered by the network and the accredited dating agencies at S$50.

Singles can sign up for any of the packages, ranging from personalised introductions to online dating activities.

SDU-SDS was the interim name for the merged Social Development Unit and Social Development Services. The SDU was formed in 1984 to promote marriages among graduate singles. The SDS was set up a year later to promote marriages among non-graduates.

The rebranding exercise comes after the merging of SDU and SDS early this year, and reflects a departure in their approach to attracting singles.

Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Yu Foo Yee Shoon, said: "We do away with this stigma, so we call it SDN - Social Development Network. Network means you can go to our website for information and attend all our activities provided by the private networks.

"We will still be the facilitator - the one to promote public education and accreditation of the industry, organise seminar training, and so on."

Working with industry partners, the SDN will extend all its activities to single Singaporeans with no membership fees.

Welcoming the move, an industry partner said it will help connect more singles to the dating network.

"Previously they (SDU-SDS) were offering a lot of services for the singles. Now they want to be seen as a nexus, a connection point, where singles can just go there and be directed to the other services the private agencies offer," said Violet Lim, founder of dating agency Lunch Actually.

The network hopes the new initiative will enable it to extend its reach beyond the current membership pool of 75,000 and offer more varied activities. - CNA /ls

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