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."

In my opinion, what she shares are gems of vital importance. AS someone who carries a diagnosis of Autism AND has worked within our siloed and disconnected systems of care, she gets it on a whole new level. What is missing, what is needed. One of her most important assets is her ability to ask why and watch, observe what is going on without judgment or preconceived notions based on dogmatic teachings not relevant to real life. Leigh Anne IS real life. She knows how what and why to reach and engage kids who have often had no one their entire lives really see them. The energetics of the interactions are often the most important part and the very part of our offspring’s with special needs education that is rarely observed or explored. To do so freely requires unconventional programming and thinking and IS what will give these individuals deep embedded experience to carry forward and integrate into every aspect of their lives. Priceless.
So that being said, this is one of the most important discussions I’ve had to date on TSC Talks personally as my son Jack has benefitted immensely from participating in this sort of immersive, apprenticeship experience gaining valuable skills, both tangible and energetic. Here’s a recent description of gains made: “There's A LOT going on there when we're together. Not just the obvious, like physical fitness, and employment-based objectives, but Distress Tolerance, Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, time management, generalizing skills, problem-solving.... learning how and when NOT to answer back to an authority figure. (Instead of saying, "I know," or "I was going to do that," when he clearly wasn't, just saying "OK.") We address that OFTEN. Staying on topic, being able to complete a task WHILE socializing...

Another example is planning. Looking at the task at hand (like cleaning a pen or stall) and being able to decide which tools you're going to need (the pen might require a garden rake and a metal pitchfork, vs. an aluminum shovel and a plastic pitchfork for the stall), and how to efficiently complete the task. Right now, he tends to be on autopilot at Jesse's, because he's done it before, and knows what tools to use. But if we go to a different barn/farm, he will sometimes just walk into the stall without any tools or automatically grab the tools that he'd use as Jesse's. But Jesse has brand-new rubber stall mats under the shavings, whereas other barns might have hard, packed-down dirt that is uneven, old, warped stall mats, or even slab cement under the shavings, which impacts the tools needed for the job. Additionally, the concept of 'using your head to save your feet and planning out the technique or way you're going to do something....like cleaning the stall of the older horse first so that you can put him in there to eat first since it takes him so long. Or, turning on the hose as you walk by it upon arrival, so you don't have to go all the way back out to the spigot when you're ready to fill waters” You get the idea.

For more information on Good Citizenship Project, FB page: https://www.facebook.com/GoodCitizenshipProject/...