Greenwich and Lewisham Young People's Theatre (GYPT) is launching a new film exploring the difficulties faced by young refugees and asylum seekers.

Birthday Boy was made as part of GYPT's Voices project, a group which works with young people, including refugees and asylum seekers aged 16 to 21. The film is in collaboration with Kidbrooke school, which has a special sixth-form unit for learning English.

When young people reach 18 they are no longer supported and housed by their local authority. Becoming the responsibility of National Asylum Seekers, they often have to move areas, which makes establishing roots difficult.

Filmed in and around Greenwich, the short drama tells an honest and touching story of life as a young refugee trying to get by in 21st-century Britain. It explores the difficulties faced by young people arriving in Britain without their family or friends and their struggle to become socially integrated.

The project involved months of building relationships and developing drama skills with youths, some of whom had never seen television.

Theatre arts development worker Stella Barnes said: "There is a lot of negative press around asylum seekers and young people are very affected by it. We aim to raise awareness and develop some empathy.

"We hope our work not only supports young asylum seekers and refugees but also helps other young people develop more positive attitudes.

"We want to celebrate their achievements and change people's attitudes."

Birthday Boy is being launched at The Film Works, Bugsby's Way, Greenwich, on Thursday, December 11, at 2pm, before taken on tour and shown in schools.

GYPT holds evening workshops in Greenwich and Lewisham with more than 200 people on a regular basis. In 2002 GYPT won the "whose London" LWT award with their documentary film "Safe".