Sheena Vella. Photo: Ian Pace

Psychological and material security that could propel an immigrant to make the leap from an open centre into the community is lacking, according to in-depth interviews.

Leaving the secure environment of open centres to start living independently is proving to be a daunting chapter in some immigrants’ lives.

“They’re not just here to be rescued. And while they do need to be safe, they also need a stable job and an education; important matters that are often forgotten,” Sheena Vella, who carried out research on asylum seeking migrants in Malta and their future, said.

Ms Vella’s research formed the basis of her M.Sc with the London School of Economics titled Suspended Living, and funded by STEPS scholarship.

Using in-depth interviews and a photovoice project – where immigrants took photos that represented their aspirations – shed light on the different stages of the asylum process in Malta and their vision for the future.

They come with a past and are seeking a future

“The implications of these findings suggest that the definition of asylum seekers as people in need of protection from persecution or war is not enough.

“People with no possibility of return need to obtain full protection ... They come with a past and are seeking a future; they want to reach their potential, but they feel unable to do this in Malta,” she added.

Ms Vella, 23, said the experiences helped provide useful implications for humane, dignifying and resourceful policymaking within a local and global context.

The study tapped into migrants’ experience of transition. Having previously done voluntary work with NGOs such as Get Up Stand Up and a stint with the Government’s Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers, Ms Vella was intrigued by what she saw. “What struck me was the resourcefulness of these people that was sometimes inhibited by poverty and their living conditions,” she said.

“The difficulty with moving out [of open centres] was partly brought about by the stress of living in a crowded institutional setting that creates mental clutter, rather than spur the necessary psychological preparation to secure a new job and independent housing in a foreign country.”

Migrants with dependent children found it harder to take the plunge because of the real fear of ending up homeless.

Ms Vella, who now works as a social psychologist with the University’s Department of Counselling, said prolonged stays in crowded environments led to restlessness.

One immigrant said: “What I would like... in the future... is to work, to live independently.”

Another expressed his frustration at being stuck – he could not return to his homeland and resettling was taking time. “You can’t get work [in Malta]. You stay here. And maybe you think tomorrow you will go crazy.” Ms Vella welcomed the decision to encourage shorter stays in open centres of not more than a year, as it could encourage immigrants to assimilate into more standard, family-sized settlements.

Other findings highlighted the ambivalence immigrants felt towards Malta – while they considered the island to be a safe haven, at the same time they felt it was restrictive and were keen to resettle elsewhere in Europe or the US.

But their attempts to secure a good future elsewhere were often thwarted by the law which did not permit travel for more than one year.

Ms Vella proposed that asylum seekers’ motivations and resourcefulness could be analysed to see how they could be empowered to sustain independent living and realise more meaningful futures.