Innovate Trust is proud to announce the launch of Closing the Gap, a new 12-month pilot project exploring how accessible assistive technology can support adults with disabilities to build digital skills, stay safer, and live more independently.
What is Closing the Gap?
Delivered by our Digital Innovations Department in partnership with First Choice Housing Association, and funded by the Welsh Government through the Digital Inclusion Wales Innovation Grant, Closing the Gap is about more than handing someone a device.
It is about finding the right technology for the right person, and putting the right support in place so that technology becomes genuinely useful in everyday life.
Who does Closing the Gap support?
Closing the Gap supports individuals across Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan, and Rhondda Cynon Taf who are currently supported by Innovate Trust.
Each participant will receive a personalised assessment to identify their needs, goals, and any barriers they face in accessing technology. Based on that assessment, they will receive one of two devices chosen to best support their individual circumstances.
How Closing the Gap is different
Alongside the devices, each participant will receive ongoing, personalised support throughout the 12-month project. This support is designed to build confidence over time, not just in the first few weeks, but as technology becomes part of everyday routines.
Our focus is on helping people feel confident, capable and supported to use their technology in ways that matter to them.
Why digital inclusion matters
Experience has shown us that providing technology is not enough. It is only part of the answer.
Without taking the time to understand a person’s individual needs, even well-intentioned efforts can fall short.
During the pandemic, many devices were gifted to people across the country, but with limited support or personalisation, much of that technology simply did not work for the people it was meant to help.
The Welsh Government’s Minimum Digital Living Standard sets out what it means to be meaningfully included in digital life.
This includes having reliable internet access, a suitable device, and the skills and confidence to use technology safely and effectively.
Closing the Gap gives us the opportunity to explore what really works, gather meaningful evidence, and build a stronger case for scaling this approach in the future.
What we hope to achieve
Throughout the project we will be tracking progress against a range of outcomes.
This includes looking at how participants grow in confidence and independence, how well the technology meets individual needs, and the impact it has on daily life.
We will also capture case studies along the way, including the lessons learned when things do not go to plan.
Understanding what does not work is just as important as understanding what does.
The insights gathered will help shape decisions about whether, and how, Closing the Gap could be expanded beyond this initial phase.
A strong start to the project
We are delighted by the level of interest in Closing the Gap.
All places have now been secured, and we are looking forward to getting started with participants and seeing what becomes possible when the right support is in place.
"We are really pleased that the Digital Inclusion Wales Innovation Grant has created this opportunity to put people with disabilities at the forefront of digital inclusion. Through Closing the Gap, we aim to work alongside each participant, tailoring technology and support to their individual needs, so that they can access online services, connect with others, and engage with the world around them with confidence. Our ambition is to go beyond the Minimum Digital Living Standard and ensure that everyone we work with can feel confident, connected, and empowered through technology."
Watch this space for updates, stories, and reflections from the project as it unfolds.
Closing the Gap is funded by the Welsh Government through the Digital Inclusion Wales Innovation Grant (April 2026 to March 2027), delivered by Innovate Trust in partnership with First Choice Housing Association.
