Youth suicide and how it is viewed by urban and regional communities is the focus of a joint study including Charles Sturt University.

For the next three years, CSU health researcher Dr Simone Fullagar is collaborating with researchers from the University of Sydney to compare the views of communities in Albury-Wodonga, inner Sydney and the NSW Central Coast.

This project follows a record $3.7 million allocated to CSU in the prestigious Australian Research Council grants round announced last week.

"We will gather stories from young people as well as significant adults, such as parents, police, youth workers, teachers and sport coaches, to build a detailed picture of what youth suicide means to these communities," Dr Fullagar said.

"The beliefs of a young person's relatives, friends, and community leaders influence how the person views their sexuality and identity and how they manage stressful events such as unemployment or a relationship break-up.

"We are interested in how the stories about suicide relate to gender, work and leisure opportunities for young people."

Dr Fullagar said the research project differs from previous studies into youth suicide by focusing on community views instead of the perceived individuals at risk

"We hope the research will produce useful advice for government policies and more effective strategies for suicide intervention," Dr Fullagar said.

The project is the first funded by the Australian Research Council involving researchers from the University's School of Community Health.