More than a third of violent young offenders targeted by a pioneering project to cut youth and gang violence reoffended within three months.

Some 15 young people involved in serious youth violence who took part in the Phoenix Programme dropped off the 12 week course early, with nine reoffending within three months.

Just 11 completed the course, but of these none reoffended, with two going on to secure college places.

Councillor Paul McGlone, Lambeth Council’s cabinet member for children and young people’ services, said the programme - part of the council’s £4m Young and Safe scheme working with the most serious offenders - had been a success.

He said: “The client group for Phoenix is particularly challenging so we are delighted these young people have completed the course and gone on to college and that other course members have not reoffended.

“All Phoenix clients are subject to community supervision orders and are often unwilling to engage with authority, this is reflected in the drop out rate and the fact for those that do drop out reoffending rates are high.”

He said the council was working to reduce the drop-out rate by giving each Phoenix member a dedicated support worker and access to a wider range of specialist support.

The results are contained in a progress report on Young and Safe that went before the council’s overview and scrutiny committee last Thursday.

The five year programme - set up in response to a string of youth murders in 2007 - has worked with 332 young people at risk of involvement in serious youth violence since its launch in November 2008.

Some 22 small community projects providing positive activities for young people have been funded and many young people have received individual and tailored support to get back into education or training and employment through personal grants.

Council leader Steve Reed said: “In many cases it’s a lack of alternatives that leads some young people into a lifestyle that can put them on the wrong path.”