Meet Your Instructor - Abbie Williams - Gold Coast Young Australian of the Year 2024

I have lived experience of both anxiety and depression, and draw on this lived experience whilst facilitating Mental Health First Aid Training to share real life examples and create a safe space for participants. My facilitation style is warm, engaging and empathetic. I am genuinely passionate about making a difference and educating people on having mental health conversations, and this shines through in my delivery. When booking me as your instructor, you can be confident that I am there to genuinely make a difference and truly influence the mental health of the group and the people they support.

I am the CEO and Founder of Letters of Hope, a not-for-profit social enterprise with charitable status that I started after moving from the UK to Australia and finding great comfort in the handwritten letters received from my grandparents after a tough mental health day. Letters of Hope send handwritten letters to people who are struggling with their mental health packed with: kind words, helpful support contacts and coping strategies. Having sent 4,000 letters to over 26 different countries, our letters have not only saved lives, but also resulted in improved mood and an increase in help seeking behaviours.

Mental Health First Aid facilitation fees fund Letters of Hope as a mental health charity, so you can also proudly let your employees know that you are supporting the mental health of the community in addition to growing their knowledge.

Prior to leaving the Corporate world to work full-time for Letters of Hope, my background was in Human Resources and more recently as a Mental Health and Wellbeing Manager in the veterinary industry, who have strikingly high mental health and suicide rates. My professional experience in supporting mental health in the workplace allows me to draw on experiences of supporting people's mental health at work to ensure the best outcome for everyone. Human Resources employees and Managers find this incredibly helpful when I deliver to workplaces.

In addition to running Letters of Hope, I am a mental health advocate, an Ambassador for the Australian & New Zealand Mental Health Association, a Youth Mental Health Mentor, and have been selected for two government-funded social entrepreneurship accelerator programs (A2ELP and FFFWD). Through my work, I have had the pleasure of featuring on/in: Sunrise, ABC News, HRD Magazine, 7News, news.com.au, Wellbeing magazine, MiNDFOOD, and more.

I have had the pleasure of delivering Mental Health First Aid Training to a number of industries: veterinary, hospitality, entertainment, government, finance, technology, marketing, engineering and construction, and more.

Whilst I am based in the Gold Coast area, I travel nationally to deliver Mental Health First Aid and commonly deliver in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and more.

TESTIMONIALS

  • “Abbie was a fantastic facilitator. Not in 20 years of completing internal & external courses have I had one better. I was thoroughly engaged for the entire course.”

  • "We would not hesitate to recommend Abbie as a Mental Health First Aid instructor – her knowledge of mental health, both lived and professional, added immense value to the training. She delivered the content in an engaging, empathetic and sensitive manner that helped our team feel comfortable to share their own personal stories and experiences. The group activities were a hit among the team and balanced some much-needed laughter while discussing an at times heavy (but immeasurably important) topic. Added bonus that the costs of the training help fund a wonderful not for profit - we look forward to getting involved with Letters of Hope in the future.”

  • “I can't recommend Abbie highly enough if you are looking for mental health first aid training. She has made an incredible positive impact on our organisation. Abbie engages with people on a very genuine level and presents tools and resources in a down-to-earth style which resonates with those from all walks of life.”

  • "Abbie was friendly, approachable and very knowledgeable. She did an amazing job at delivering the Blended Online Mental Health First Aid course (workplace). Her facilitation style was warm, engaging and supportive and I am very grateful to have had her instruct me.”

  • “I enjoyed Abbie Williams’ instruction. She has an engaging style and clearly has a lot of knowledge and understanding of the subjects discussed. Though the subjects were quite 'heavy' Abbie's style meant it never felt overwhelming or uncomfortable, it always felt like a safe space.”