ABOUT

ABOUT THE 10 GREAT DATES PROGRAM: 

Who designed the 10 Great Dates program and why?

  • Claudia Arp and David Arp, MSW  designed the program
  • To help couples build and sustain a healthy marriage over the years.
  • To provide resources for congregations, military and community initiatives to intro marriage education to the masses.

What are the founding principles?

  • To encourage couples and teach skills for building better relationships. 
  • To reach the masses with marriage education.
  • To open the door for other programs.
  • We also offer marriage education seminar (10 Great Dates—The Seminar) and conduct training in how to start a community marriage initiative and marriage ministry within a congregation.
  • Program is research and skilled-based, biblical, practical, and fun. (University of Tennessee is 2 years into a research project of basic seminar.)  

How long has the 10 Great Dates program been established? 
 

 
  • Our work in marriage education began in the late 70’s and Marriage Alive was incorporated as a 501 (c) 3 in 1983. First book on marriage, 10 Dates for Mates was published in 1983.  Have published over 30 books on marriage and family education topics.
  • The 10 Great Dates video-based “teach-right-out-of-the-box” program was officially published in 1997 and has been used by thousands of groups around the country.

What research findings/outcome assessments support your program’s goals and effectiveness? 

For the past 2 years the University of Tennessee has been researching our seminar. Here are some key findings after the 2-month follow-up. Women ratings were slightly higher that the men’s rating but both rated positive latent effects of seminar in the area of constructive communication. This was the most significant finding. 

Marital Satisfaction

  • Increases from pre to post-seminar. 
  • Does not continue to increase from post to follow-up, but does not significantly decrease either.
  • Suggests that gains are not entirely lost.

Constructive Communication

  • No increase from pre to post-seminar.
  • Increases from post to follow-up a lot. 
  • Difference from pre to follow-up is significant, suggesting latent effects of the seminar. 

Social Support

  • Increases from pre to post-seminar.
  • No change from post to follow-up.
  • Change between pre and follow-up is significant.  Thus, gains from seminar are fully maintained.

Dyadic Cohesion

  • Increases from pre to post-seminar.
  • No change from post to follow-up.
  • Change between pre and follow-up is significant.  Thus, gains from seminar are fully maintained.

 What are the curricula based objectives of your program(s)?

    • To improve couple communication skills
    • To give hope and encouragement to couples
    • To increase marital satisfaction and social support
    • To increase dyadic cohesion
 

Who are your target audience:  

Couples, Marriage Educators, Clergy, Counselors and all who work in marriage education. 
 

II. PARTICIPATION IN THE 10 GREAT DATES PROGRAM: 

 What is the 10 Great Dates format?  

Teach right out of the box DVD video-based program and 6-hour seminars

      DVD video-based 10 Great Dates Program

  • 10 sessions of approximately 2 – 2 ½ hours over 10 weeks, or every other week for 20 weeks or for 10 months.
  • Couples gather for a short video date launch and then using the exercises in the Participant’s book, 10 Great Dates to Energize Your Marriage, go out on their date and talk through the exercise, video segment and chapter in the book.
  • Couples talk to their partner—not to the group.
  • After the “date” couples go home (or pick up their children if they are in childcare.  

 Where are 10 Great Dates programs offered? 

  • Churches, synagogues, community centers, military 

 Who are generally the participants?

  • Couples from engaged to those marriage fifty years plus. It is very broad based.

 To date, how many people have participated? 

  • Estimate, 60,000 plus

Diane Sollee, MSW, Founder and Director, SmartMarriages.com in presenting the 2005 Impact Award to the Arps said,

“10 Great Dates is definitely the most widely used marriage education program. It is being used by all denominations, by the military and other groups around the county who are launching community-wide healthy marriage initiatives.” 

 What is the time commitment?

  • For 10 Great Dates 10 sessions ( 2 – 2 ½ hours)

 What is the cost?

  • VERY affordable.  DVD curriculum with Leader’s Guide $29.99 Participant’s Books - $12.99  (Volume discount from Marriage Alive at www.marriagealive.com or by calling 865-690-5887.
  • Participants usually pay a nominal fee to cover book (one per couple) and childcare

III. FACILITATION OF YOUR PROGRAM:

Who are generally the facilitators of your 10 Great Dates program?

  • The 10 Great Dates program is easy to facilitate.
  • No training required.
  • Program is often led by lay couples, family life directors, clergy, or individuals.

How can future facilitators/educators acquire the necessary training?

  • By getting the program and following the leader’s guide.
  • Can also attend training workshop with Arps. See www.marriagealive.com for info.

What is the time commitment for the training? 

  • The Arps training in how to start a community initiative or marriage work in a local congregation is typically 4-6 hours.
  • No training is needed for leading a 10 Great Dates program in a variety of settings.

 What is the cost associated with becoming a facilitator? 

  • 10 Great Dates is one of the most affordable marriage education programs on the market.
  • No cost other than purchasing the DVD curriculum which also contains the leader’s guide ($29.99) and participant books, 10 Great Dates to Energize Your Marriage, ($12.99) for each couple. Book contains duplicate tear out exercises so couples only need one book. This keeps the program very affordable.
  • Please note it is illegal to copy © exercises from book. Plus couples need the reading assignment in the book. There is a chapter summary for the one who doesn’t have time to read the whole chapter.
  • Other flexible costs would include arranging promotion and sessions. DVD includes PDF files with sample press release, brochure and certificate of completion.

  • Strongly suggest providing childcare.
     

OTHER REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: 

At the end of your 10 Great Dates program, what skills and knowledge will an individual, couple, family, and marriage educator acquire?

  • Improved couple communication skills
  • Couples leave with new hope and encouragement
  • Increased marital satisfaction and social support
  • More dyadic cohesion
  • Couples leave with a concrete plan for how they are going to continue to strengthen their marriage after the program ends.

What is uniquely different about your 10 Great Dates program as compared to others? 

  • 10 Great Dates is a marriage education disguised as ten fun dates.
  • Each date is skilled-based and couples have the opportunity to skill to learn and practice a specific skill.
  • Since 10 Great Dates is a fun program, couples will come who would probably never attend a traditional marriage seminar or course. (Husbands willingly come.)
  • 10 Great Dates introduces couples to marriage education and opens the door for other programs. It is a great way to build community awareness.
 

What are some of the testimonials received from program participants and/or facilitators? 

  • “It has been a delight for us to pass on this principle of time together for spouses by using the 10 Great Dates material and video series.  We have used it in two churches directly and helped at least two other churches use it as well.  The material is very easy to use.  It has been very well received by everyone attending and there has been overwhelming requests to offer it again. Many have told their friends about it and some just want to do it again.  It is very non-threatening and works very well for community outreach.”
  • "I drove past this church and never stopped in before this.  I had no idea what you (the church) had to offer my family." 
  • "The kids were looking forward to their 'date' as much as my wife and I were!  They wouldn't let me miss it even when my wife was out of town." 
  • "This program was very helpful to give my husband and me time to talk to each other and not just talk about marriage." 
  • “Our pastor thought that 10 Great Dates worked the best of any other thing the church had tried for outreach to the community!
  • "My husband would never come to church with me before, but he felt very safe coming to 10 Great Dates." 
  • "With small children it’s so hard to get time together for just us, thank you!" 
  • “Months after the program we heard from another couple who said in their Christmas Letter that 10 Great Dates was the best thing that ever happened to them as a couple to strengthen their marriage.”
  • “When I think about how programs usually run in a church, the programs typically talk AT us and then we talk ABOUT it and we even talk ABOUT APPLYING it but just a few of us really and truly DO it.... 10 Great Dates provides a safe and fun environment to actually DO something about our marriages and it actually WORKS to builds our marriages little by little.”
  • “My husband and I are very grateful for such a wonderful tool to use for encouraging others as well.”
  • “An effective, creative, and fun marriage education program for couples of all ages and churches of all sizes. I highly recommend 10 Great Dates to any church looking for an easy-to-lead, well-done, and concise marriage program.”
  • “With each date, Dave and Claudia plant a seed that helps individual marriages grow. Plus the dating format with child care provided offers a gift to the community that advances the mission of our parish.”

What a creative way to energize your relationship! 10 Great Dates revolutionizes dating by providing you with ten innovative, fun dates based on marriage-enriching themes. You will love growing together while going out together.”

John Gray, Author, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus 

Sacramento has fallen in love with the 10 Great Dates.  In our first year of the Sacramento Healthy Marriage Project, over 40 organizations with over 1000 participants are falling in love again.  They are spending time together once a week having a conversation about their relationship. Some are discovering that they need more help.  That's a success too.  When we reach couples early, we have a greater chance for healing.  Thank you Dave and Claudia for bringing us this easy, fun and inexpensive program to change our community.

 Carolyn Rich Curtis, Ph.D., Executive Director, Sacramento Healthy Marriage Project 

10 Great Dates for Black Couples breaks new ground in marriage education by reaching out to the black community with a very focused relevant, unassuming, yet hilarious message.”

Linda Malone-Colon, PhD., Director, National Healthy Marriage Resource Center 

Other Marriage Alive Programs:

  • 10 Great Dates for Black Couples (A need addition of 10 Great Dates featuring Drs. Rozario and Angela Slack especially crafted for the African American community)
  • 10 Great Dates – The Seminar  (a 6-hour marriage education seminar led by Claudia Arp and David Arp, MSW)
  • 10 Great Dates Couple Checkup (a pre marriage inventory powered by PREPARE/ENRICH) and available at www.marriagealive.com)
  • The Second Half of Marriage – DVD video-based teach-right-out-of-the-box curriculum dealing with marriage in the empty nest years and second half of life.
  • The Second Half of Marriage Seminar - (a 6-hour marriage education seminar led by Claudia Arp and David Arp, MSW)