KEY POINTS:
The Government will today start a strategy to tackle suicide.
As many as 500 people take their own lives each year and suicide is the second most common cause of death among New Zealand youth, with up to 10 deaths a week.
The Suicide Prevention Action Plan is aimed at reducing those numbers.
The launch - in Wellington this afternoon - will detail four initiatives, addressing student wellbeing, mental health education, the national depression campaign and the Lowdown, a website looking at youth depression.
With about one in seven young Kiwis aged 16-24 experiencing serious depression, the interactive website encourages youngsters to deal with depression appropriately.
They can connect with role models, who include Hip Hop stars Scribe, Young Sid and Savage talking about their personal experiences with depression.
About 75 schools are involved in the two-year Student Wellbeing initiative, through contracts held with the Ministry of Education and universities around the country.
The most common risk factor for suicidal behaviour is mental illness.
There has been a 19 per cent decrease in suicide deaths since the 1990s, but Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton said there was still a long way to go.
"I believe this action plan will help us work towards this vision and it will save lives.
"We can make a difference if we are strong enough to create a society where New Zealanders feel valued and nurtured."
SUICIDE
* 500 New Zealanders take their own lives every year.
* The number of men who commit suicide is about three times the number of women.
* Maori have higher rates of suicide and hospitalisation for intentional self-harm than other ethnic groups.
WHAT'S BEING DONE
* Student Wellbeing - project in schools to teach students about positive mental health.
* Lowdown - online support and counselling for young people.
