SEE SHOW NOTES FOR PART ONE FOR MORE DETAIL!
I had the pleasure of interviewing Leigh Anne Bianchi, Founder of Good Citizenship Project recently on TSC Talks. She was joined by her business manager Carla Bell. We had a free ranging discussion covering many topics but all regarding the benefits of the sort of unconventional programming Leigh Anne has developed through GCP and how this meets many of the huge gaping unmet needs for those individuals diagnosed with autism and other special needs that our systems of care have become too siloed and disconnected to address. “Developing a sense of meaning and purpose, social-emotional skills, work ethic, and peer relationships by volunteering, distributing donations, and supporting local farms.”

For more information on Good Citizenship Project, FB page: https://www.facebook.com/GoodCitizenshipProject/ phone: (508) 868-0293 email: leighanne.bianchi143@gmail.com

Timestamps for part 2:
0-52 Intro
00:54- Antonio’s Waitress Olivia treats them like humans, the start of the discussion on sexuality and special needs
2:26 All the PC of working w/special needs has made sexuality issues really challenging. People taken advantage of, they are developmentally younger and no one talks about this
5:03 Karaoke, real-world situations help
5:28 Dashboard confessionals, you can say stuff without eye contact when conversations about penises and vaginas come out. Pediatricians recommend using scientific wording, Leigh Anne took all the training on autism/special needs and sexuality and can talk candidly.
9:27 Why questions, keep asking them. See the question behind the action. One client wanted to see Leigh Anne’s breasts, curiosity, she didn’t react or file a report but discussed it with him. So many lives could be ruined if everything is flagged as inappropriate. This population never gets to ask questions
11:06 Leigh Anne had to spend 5 minutes spend w/individual who had sex offender charges in ISP and Leigh Anne knew charges were not true-example
13:16 Paying for Good Citizenship Project….if you have an autism diagnosis, sometimes easier to get funding, agencies often don’t want to pick up those with autism but things changing and agencies can help you get funding to cover through DESE/Wraparound Family Services, Public Partnerships through Participant directed programming conduit, Private pay, PCA funds, DDS Family Respite funds
20:11 Leigh Anne should be paid more for all she offers. Charges $30/hour but will work with families. Leigh Anne does not have a BCBA or other letters after the name that would allow her to be recognized as a service agent but has the lived experience and work experience to exceed those with mere education
23:26 Becoming a non-profit would mean more strings attached, Johnny her horse would have to be certified as a therapy horse, her dog a pit bull mix, too many hoops to jump through. Jack couldn’t have used a log splitter!
26:31 Investor/philanthropist would be ideal with no strings attached. Leigh Anne took a chance w/Camp Marshall, wanting to partner and have it be her home base. If associated with an agency the volunteers would need to get paid. All benefits from GCP are not recognized as beneficial for many who don’t understand the depth of what she does.
31:31 Work to ride is an option or unpaid internship/apprenticeship. So much happens in learning these farm skills that is energetic…deciding how to perform tasks and learning from any mistakes, having the freedom to learn from mistakes like using a pitchfork instead of a shovel for a particular job…
34:21 Farmers giving the flexibility to figure out the approach to completing a job is helpful. So then it’s not regimented, can focus on the end results, not the niggling details and farmwork facilitates executive functioning in this area. Learning at the moment, the Montessori approach is part of Leigh Anne’s process
37:31 Give individual rules, allow them to screw up and figure it out is more powerful than reading how to do something in a book or being told what to do. Forced problem solving, you remember you had to take a different approach. This is empowering!
40:46 GCP NEEDS MONEY TO EXPAND! Fundraisers coming soon. Discussion of fundraisers
43:36 Looking for a home base with specific parameters. She needs to bring her animals. This has been challenging, small private barns are nervous to have special needs population-liability. Leigh Anne looking for a life in a caretaker position
46:21 Jack came in (Jill’s son who participates in GCP). Leigh Anne is looking for a situation where most of the labor at the new setting is done by members of the GCP. She screens applicants for a good match, meets parents and individuals, gives a grace period. Wants it known GCP is a for-profit not an agency.
49:01 But Leigh Anne is more than a job coach. The people she supports are part of her family. “So you want me to pay for you to force my kid to do slave labor” is some people’s attitude. No, they are learning transformative, resume-worthy skills.
51:11 Leigh Anne went to Salter College, able to be successful b/c was focused on one thing. There is real value in jobs that don’t require a degree. People do not see the scope of autism…Ford Motor Co was seeking to hire those on the Autism spectrum b/c of attention to detail/focus.
55:11 One of the goals of GCP is to raise awareness of what an autistic person looks like which has spread by word of mouth, inspiring others to think outside of the box in creating programs for this population. B/c of relationships developed through GCP, Leigh Anne has options-a temporary place to live if needed “if you do good things, they come back”. In our society many expect something in return for every little thing
60:11 Carla Bell is Leigh Anne’s business manager, helping her with a business plan and fundraising has worked in special ed
Thanks so much for listening!!! https://tsctalks.com