The Illawarra Shoalhaven Suicide Prevention Collaborative will meet for the first time on Wednesday, on the eve of World Suicide Prevention Day.

The Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI) at the University of Wollongong is leading the charge, with Professor Brin Grenyer claiming it was time for a multi-pronged approach.

‘‘Suicide prevention affects all of us,’’ he said. ‘‘Every 10 minutes in Australia someone is formulating a suicide plan, and more people die from suicide under the age of 45 than from anything else.

‘‘It’s an epidemic and it’s a complex issue, but what we do know from evidence-based practise is that we need to take a multi-disciplinary approach to tackle it.

‘‘That means health providers, the media, police and paramedics, crisis services like Lifeline and researchers need to form a good alliance.’’

Professor Grenyer said the aim of the working party was to develop a comprehensive plan to provide services where and when people needed them.

‘‘It’s an opportunity to collaborate closely to understand what we know about the prevalence of suicide in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven, to understand where the gaps in services are and what preventative strategies we can put in place,’’ he said.

Despite much good work in the area, Professor Grenyer said suicide rates were on the rise in Australia and internationally. Regional areas like the Illawarra and Shoalhaven were often hardest hit.

‘‘The Illawarra Shoalhaven is a region that’s evolving,’’ he said.

‘‘We have people who thought they had employment for life who now find themselves unemployed, but there’s also innovation which brings new opportunities.

‘‘In the context of all that change and in trying to reinvent ourselves to keep a viable, healthy and productive community, people get lost by the wayside.

‘‘We need to work out how can we do a better job of keeping the fundamentals of our community working well.’’

This year World Suicide Prevention Day and R U OK Day fall on the same day, with both initiatives encouraging people to start conversations around mental health.

‘‘It’s a good time for us to be in a sense holding each other closer around the day and opening that dialogue,’’ Professor Grenyer said.

Lifeline South Coast executive director Grahame Gould said a range of events had been planned this week, including a suicide memorial service at the Wesley Uniting Church on the Mall on Thursday at 1pm and an awareness walk at Lake Illawarra on Saturday.

Readers seeking support or information about suicide prevention can call Lifeline on 131114.

When Shellharbour health worker Judith Merchant lost a close friend to suicide in April, she was spurred into action.

Along with her friend’s two daughters, Gemma and Kayla Stratton, she has organised a walk to support suicide awareness and prevention which already has more than 200 registered participants.

The Out of the Shadows and into the Light walk will circle from Reddall Reserve, Lake Illawarra foreshore to Little Lake Elliot bridge, Warilla, and back this Saturday, starting at 10.30am.

It’s one of a number of community walks being held around the country as part of a Lifeline initiative to coincide with this Thursday’s World Suicide Prevention Day.

‘‘After what happened to us, it’s opened our eyes that this happens and to people you’d least expect,’’ Ms Merchant said.

‘‘Our personal experience made us want to let people out there know they’re not alone, and to get everyone in the community to start talking about this taboo subject.

‘‘If we can break down the stigma, and get people to talk about their feelings, then hopefully they will seek the help that they need.’’

Ms Merchant said she’d been overwhelmed by the response to the walk, with registrations rolling in and local businesses signing up to donate products for the sausage sizzle to be held after the walk.

‘‘I’ve been contacted by quite a few families who have been affected personally too, and it’s made me realise what a huge issue this is,’’ she said.

Dan Hunt, former Dragons forward, will speak on the day about his battle with mental illness after being diagnosed as bipolar. The money raised through the event will go towards Lifeline’s support services.