And that's just fine, she said, because recognition of what realpeople@mosaic is all about is essential when it comes to getting the word out, and getting much-needed community support and funding.
"Funding is an issue," Leighann said.
"We'd like to take more people in but we just can't."
There is a real mix of clients who arrive on weekdays to take part in the 25 varied courses which support skill acquisition, personal development and self-confidence.
The clients generally take part in three or four morning courses, and another three or four in the afternoon.
As Leighann has seen in her 10 years at the centre, it can be life-changing for many.
"It is creative and social and we now have many people doing some exceptional art here."
One of the latest creative programmes is an extension to the startling frontage. It is a side wall artwork called Kiwiana and it is already attracting interest.
The public had been enthusiastic and supportive, she said.
"Generous members of the public and local 'op' shops donate crockery which is one of the valuable resources needed to provide our students with the opportunity to make mosaics, and to create the public art works that have become so appreciated by the community."
The annual Winebox Auction, where local and nationally known artists donate a collectable artwork created from a pine wine box, is also well supported by the community, with some previous events raising more than $25,000. It is set to be staged again next February.
Such fundraisers were essential, as costs across the board were high, Leighann said.
"Services like ours would find it difficult to keep going and provide quality services to our clients without good resources."
She said apart from the physical things provided to the clients, the most important resource was the staff who worked alongside them. "This is a service's biggest resource and largest expense and often most undervalued and under-appreciated resource."
Approximately 50,000 people are employed in New Zealand to provide support work.
Hawke's Bay has over 2000 people working in this field; most are female and work part-time hours in more than one job.
"Many services are battling the changing face of funding or lack of it and struggling to maintain its quality services with less, directly impacting the clients we work with."