Young adults are living through a dating recession — and it’s happening during their prime years.

The 2025 National Dating Landscape Survey reveals a striking paradox: most young adults want traditional relationships, marriage, and family — but many lack the dating skills and resilience to get there. Significant barriers are keeping them from even starting.

It’s not a fear of commitment. It’s a skills gap.

Despite widespread interest in relationship education, practical dating skills remain largely untaught — overlooked by mainstream culture and the relationship education field alike. The result: young adults who are motivated but unequipped.

They need a road map. One that bridges the gap between wanting a lasting relationship and building one.

What You’ll Learn:

• How often young adults are dating today — and why the numbers may surprise you
• The barriers standing between them and the relationships they want
• What healthy dating skills actually look like
• How the relationship education field can step up to meet this moment

This webinar is for anyone working to support young adults on the path to lasting relationships:

• Relationship educators and practitioners
• Social workers and counselors
• Youth-serving nonprofit professionals
• Faith-based leaders and community organizations
• Fatherhood and family-strengthening program staff
• Healthy relationship education coordinators
• Program developers building dating skills curricula
• Researchers and academics in family science, sociology, or public health
• Policy advocates focused on marriage, family, and youth development

Presenter: Alan J. Hawkins- Affiliated Scholar, Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University