Senden Sustainable Agriculture Resource Centre (Social Enterprise Profile)

Senden Sustainable Agriculture Resource Centre
Upper Skeena Development Centre (USDC)

Hazelton – Employment and Agricultural Social Enterprise

Stories:

• "As Project Co-ordinator for the inaugural Youth Experiential Education Program at the Senden Centre in 2010, I have experienced first-hand the potential of this experiential learning model of teaching and learning by doing in the greenhouse and outdoor environment. Many local First Nations and pioneer elders possess an incredible amount of knowledge about sustenance lifestyle and are delighted to share. The Senden Centre provides a multi-generational physical resource for the community to access and learn about agricultural skills. The long term potential is enormous for our community.
• A personal highlight for me, during our autumn harvest open house was when I asked a grade three class what a specific plant might be. No one knew. A boy was invited to pull it up, and there was great excitement when a beautiful orange carrot popped out of the ground. Of course everyone then wanted to pull one up and dust it off, and then we all stood around savouring this incredible taste sensation. Many actually preferred these carrots to the muffins and cookies in the Senden kitchen, and wanted to take carrots home for their moms and grandmas... To me, this represented just how far many of us have isolated ourselves from food sources, and how we can reintroduce a generation to the joy of local gardening." (Carole Sutherland).

The organization:

The Upper Skeena Development Centre is a community non-profit organization that was established in 1998. USDC assists with the development and implementation of initiatives which promote and enhance economic sustainability in the Upper Skeena. The organization provides access to technology and other resources to sustain social, economic and educational development in the community. USDC networks with other community groups and supports many local organizations and their projects.

The social enterprise:

As of August 2010 the centre comprised a 2.5 acre farm with 1 acre of garden plus a substantial greenhouse (75 ft x 30 ft) in operation. They were very busy from January to March of 2010 finishing up with their WD-funded projects, all of which were completed on time. They got their farmhouse completed and furnished, purchased a new tractor and got roto tiller equipment. The local Youth Employment Strategy Program was housed at their facilities and they had 6 youth participants working in the program from April to October. They also started a 1 day/week roadside stand and on their first day they earned $200 in three hours. Five direct jobs were created from the project (in addition to the 6 youth in the employment program) - 2 full-time year-round and 3 part-time seasonal.

enp history:

The Senden Sustainable Agriculture Resource Centre has received two grants from enp. The first was for $10,000 though the Upper Skeena Development Centre in 2008 to conduct a feasibility study and develop a business plan for the centre which was to provide support to local agriculture producers and employ people previously employed in the forest industry. The second grant, through the Storytellers Foundation in early 2009, was for $5000 to assist with the development of a marketing strategy for wild and domestic First Nations value-added food products.

Key findings from their enp-funded projects:

• "Proof that agriculture, particularly First Nations agriculture is an emerging sector in the region/province, with good potential for local/regional business development; that Hazelton has natural resources to provide a unique opportunity for agri-business development; there is a keen interest for local residents to address food security and to eat locally produced foods; and Hazelton is well positioned with the Senden Centre to become a regional resource centre which will be able to link with other communities in the Central Interior that promote and support agriculture producers."
• Identified specific "value-added" product which they could harvest and process in their area - Birch Syrup. 

   

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Social Enterprise Stories, Snapshots and Videos

Enterprising Non-Profits is putting together a collection of videos and stories/snapshots featuring different social enterprises from around BC.  Above is the story/snapshot on the Senden Sustainable Agriculture Resource Centre.  To see stories/snapshots on other social enterprises in BC, click here.  (And to see our collection of social enterprise videos, click here).