Challenge your mates to #daretodate with ‘Five in Five’ this Valentine’s Day 2015, and raise money to help fight poverty and homelessness in Australia.
With 50% of Australians now describing 21st century dating as ‘tedious’ or ‘terrifying’, Melbourne-based sisters Andrea and Sally Tonkin, describe the Five in Five challenge www.fiveinfive.org.au as “the missing link to bringing dating back into the real world, where good ol’ fashioned introductions are the makings of something truly beautiful.”
On February 14th, Valentine’s Day 2015 the Five in Five concept challenges single men and women to #daretodate with five dates in five weeks, and to re-discover what it’s like to date in the real world, all while helping to raise money for not-for-profit organisations working to prevent poverty and homelessness across Australia.
It’s about asking friends, family, colleagues, neighbours… your social and support networks, to help find your dates and to sponsor you too. That is the challenge, it’s yours if you dare, heaps of fun to share and rewarding every step along the way!
Finding that special someone can be difficult, but if the Five in Five campaign’s track record is anything to go by, actually putting yourself out there is definitely worth giving it a go. We’ve seen previous participants end up in long term relationships, get engaged, married, and even a Five in Five baby!
Sally Tonkin says she remembers how dating used to be, “When it was all about the referrals. The vouching for someone. When someone could actually say ‘I know a person you’ll absolutely love’. We make decisions daily and step boldly forth into life, with the reassurance and approval of trusted friends and family, yet dating online and using dating apps has left daters to make, well, let’s face it, usually very bad decisions based on constructed profiles and limited interactions.”
“This often leads to knowing next to nothing about the person you’re about to share a meal with, or a seat next to in a cinema,”she continued.
Andrea Tonkin explains that, “The unfortunate aspect of online and app based dating is that it can resemble shopping – ‘people shopping’, and with almost 30% of Australians choosing to meet people online, it’s a scary time for dating. We’re complex, ever-changing and fascinating human beings. The fun is in the unpacking and discovering.”
And, the fact that Five in Five is all for charity is a fantastic motivator. Even those who have been single for a long time and think they have met every single person in their network
are surprised by the recommendations from friends and family that suddenly come out of the woodwork when there is a challenge for charity.
Previous participants have even had the courage to #daretodate celebrities, and people they’ve had crushes on for years, with some great results! There’s no harm in asking, so why not signup, and start dating!
While it may seem daunting, spreading the word is vital and significantly increases the chance of finding suitable dates. Once someone has signed up, it’s so easy to jump-start the #daretodate revolution. Dare three people via social media to take the @Five_in_Five challenge, that’s it! The challenged can then choose to take the challenge too, or they can choose to simply donate to the campaign. It’s then up to them to nominate another three people. It couldn’t be easier!
The campaign works in three, simple steps:
1) Singles register online at www.fiveinfive.org.au, allowing them to share their ‘donations page’ via social media channels, and getting those they know involved by suggesting suitable dates, dating themselves and challenging three other people to either #daretodate with them or donate if they’re already taken;
2) Participants encourage friends and family to sponsor them on their quest for dates, suggest potential dates for the five dates, and explain that it’s all for charity, to please be generous and to not forget to #daretodate three others;
3) If participants are nervous they’ve completely forgotten how to date, and think they’re worried they’ll bomb out the moment they open their mouths, they shouldn’t! Participants receive helpful tips and tools from the Five in Five campaign dating specialists throughout the entirety of their dating challenge!
Last year’s campaign raised over $70,000 for homelessness and social disconnection.
Five in Five aims to revitalize the dating scene again in 2015, motivating people to go out on stimulating and interesting dates, while helping make a difference in their local community and across Australia
Visit and register at www.fiveinfive.org.au and start spreading the #daretodate Five in Five challenge through your networks. Let’s get dating for charity, Australia!
Register for the 2015 Five in Five campaign at www.fiveinfive.org.au, kicking off on Valentine’s Day, 14th February to 21st march 2015
