Detained immigrants 'need activity' to relieve boredom

Activities for migrants living in detention centres are sorely needed to alleviate their boredom, according to the experience of an 18-month pilot project that has just ended.

From June last year, a 40-strong team of professionals, including tutors, toured the centres to give migrants lessons in English, equip them with job skills, cultural orientation and provide some recreation.

"We saw that migrants enjoyed the activities and they were needed," said project leader Amanda Grech, from the Organisation for the Integration and Welfare of Asylum Seekers (Oiwas).

Ms Grech said the aim of the €350,000 project was to ease the trauma of those who were kept in detention centres. Originally, the project was meant to be finalised by May but it was extended by six months, ending this month.

Oiwas director Alex Tortell said the organisation was looking into obtaining funds to carry on with the project and provide more leisure and recreational activities for the migrants to reduce their frustration.

Some 1,500 migrants benefitted from the project.