About our organization
We are a registered charity, established in 1999 when a group of concerned citizens came together with funding agencies to address the social and economic impact of the closure of the area's main employer, Carnaby Mill. The Centre's founding vision was to actively promote projects that will contribute to a sustainable and vibrant economy for the region. In 2018, the board of directors through strategic planning updated the vision: we envison a vibrant social economy in the Upper Skeena region with opportunities for all. The society's purposes are to provide training in literacy, computer literacy, agriculture, food processing, interview skills and resume drafting, access to public computers and to combine the efforts and resources of the community to reduce unemployment. USDC does this through promoting social economic opportunities in the Upper Skeena, partnering with local groups, organizations and businesses to create our own social and economic initiatives and providing access to resources and services relevant to social, economic and educational development.
Our organization identified small-scale agriculture as a potential industry in our rural areas to increase employment and food security. Specific goals articulated in our operating guidelines are achieved through the delivery of programs and services which include: Employment and Career Development Assistance through the WorkBC Program, Support Services for Small Business growth, Land-Based Youth Programs, Food Security Skill-Building workshops, Job Creation Projects, Public Computer and Internet Access and other Volunteer Community Services.