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OBJECTIVES IP exists to bring together single people on the Isle of Wight, as stated in the constitution. People vary a great deal in character, temperament and disposition. It has always been an unspoken objective to aim our marketing at people of good character, but any attempt to define this has run into difficulty. The committee has the right to turn down applicants and to discontinue membership, and it should be to the reassurance of the membership that this right has been exercised in the past. IP does not exist to promote brief relationships or the matching of couples, but it is inevitable that members will pair off and even get married. It is a great satisfaction to all when true happiness blossoms like this. Of even greater satisfaction is the personal development that occurs in new members. A high proportion of members has come from previous long-term relationships, and many have only just started to rebuild their lives and their self-confidence. It takes some effort to join in a group of unknown people, but many who make the effort are rewarded by a new foundation for their lives. Time and again we have seen this happen, but unfortunately there are those who find the initial effort too great. It is one of our objectives to help these people over this first hurdle. Another objective is the further dispelling of the stigma that once attached to the notion of a singles group. To some this appears to be the lowest social echelon. Strangely in America (a source and predictor of social change over here) to be single and not be in a singles group is considered slightly deviant. We hope that by presenting ourselves as a worthwhile and caring social group we will be perceived as something to which any eligible person would be pleased to belong. As part of our caring image we have supported the Isle of Wight Samaritans for a number of years. With many years' experience of running IP and some experience of one or two similar mainland groups, we do feel that we have achieved a viable degree of management competence and proven success. We are now looking to further our contact with mainland groups for the following reasons: to continue to learn from others and improve our own management; to offer ideas and experience to mainland groups; to work towards a national network of like-minded singles groups, the ultimate objective of which would be the same as IP's. The production of this manual is at least in part stimulated by this idea. IP is also concerned about single people who choose not to apply, but for whom IP would be a benefit; and also those who we might not wish to join, but who could still benefit from an organisation such as IP but more tuned to their own requirements. A consideration of such needs in the community and of possible solutions also forms part of IP's longer term objectives. |