A new board game developed in Co Leitrim is helping new arrivals to improve their English language skills.
Letter Lingo is a word challenge designed to help those from non-English speaking countries to improve their fluency and meet new people.
The Leitrim Development Company created the game after their research found language remained the biggest barrier to integration.
"English classes are fantastic but there are a lot of people who don't learn in that type of setting," said integration officer Deborah Shirlaw, who came up with the idea for Letter Lingo.
"They find that they learn better when they do practical things," she added.
It is designed for all abilities including beginners, improvers and even native English speakers to help boost their vocabulary.
She said: "Whether you have problems spelling or with your memory skills, we've a game that's valuable for everybody's use."
Irina from Ukraine, now living in Leitrim, was among the first to test out the board game.
"Our volunteer helps us with pronunciation. Sometimes I know one word, and she helps with other new words," she said.
Olusegun Ifade from Nigeria likes the social aspect of playing the game with others.
"Most importantly it's helped in terms of bringing people together," he said.
Letter Lingo gives players a letter or word category.
The more associated words the player can name the further they progress towards the finish line and towards improved vocabulary.
Research by Leitrim Intergrated Development Company found that language is the main barrier to employment, even for people who arrived some years ago.
This prompted the idea for a game that community centres could use to help new arrivals to learn while socialising.
Bernie Donohue, of the Leitrim Integrated Development Company, said: "Anyone can benefit and it's really good for interaction.
"It can help new arrivals to the community who want to improve their English, older people who want to improve their cognitive skills, and those with literacy problems."
"We looked all over the world for board game makers. We were going to order from Italy," said Cailin Reynolds of the Drumshanbo-based development company.
He located a designer just minutes away from the Leitrim town and the board game was then packed and printed in Co Galway.
"We didn't want to make it too childish looking," Mr Reynolds said, adding that the game can be played on a number of different levels by both adults and children.
The Leitrim Development Company is making Letter Lingo available free of charge to community groups nationwide.
And it hopes this new Leitrim board game will travel outside Ireland.
"We've had enquiries about the game from other European countries," said Ms Shirlaw. "I actually think it could travel far."
