Support for petition to save Work Connect

Campaigners have launched a petition against plans to close a service which helps people with learning disabilities and mental health conditions find work.

- STAFF REPORTER

A drive is underway to save Work Connect, funded by the West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), which offers vital support across the area.

In March, a report presented to members of the HSCP recommended that the service is axed, claiming that employability support could be provided by alternative means.

Members were asked to approve the recommendations to close the service during the middle of the financial year of 2025/26 but deputy West Dunbartonshire Council leader Michelle McGinty asked for the decision to be delayed to allow further conversations to be held with affected service users.

Now, a petition has been launched by Robert Mills, which had attracted almost 600 signatures as the Lennox Herald went to press yesterday (Monday).

It cites the closure of the Pavilion Cafe, now being run by new owners, which was used as a training kitchen for adults with learning disabilities and autism, and people recovering from mental health issues and addiction.

The petition reads: “In the past two years, the service was cut twice with the loss of the Pavilion Café, which removed seven staff posts in 2024, and the closure of Café Connect in 2023, which removed nine posts (the majority of these posts were held by employees with a disability).

“This is more than a 50 per cent reduction in staff in two years.

“The training suite at Levengrove Park was purpose-built for Work Connect (in partnership with WDC Greenspace) using a combination of Heritage Lottery Funding and WDC match funding and opened in 2019.