David Ball
Specialist Peer Trainer
Dave is a senior civil engineer. He has lived experience of SCI and has volunteered extensively for Back Up Trust in multiple different roles (such as group leader, and wheelchair skills trainer) since 1995. Dave has trained new wheelchair skills trainers and has delivered the Back Up UK wheelchair skills course on residential courses and a truncated version into specialist spinal units. Dave and his family have lived in Melbourne since 2016.
Dave is a Specialist Peer Trainer with Skills for Independence. He is currently involved with delivering Skills for Independence courses here in Australia as well Train the Trainer and half-day wheelchair skills sessions.
Tim Rushby-Smith
Specialist Peer Trainer
Tim is a journalist and author. Tim has lived experience of SCI since 2005 and has participated in multiple Back Up Trust courses in the UK, first as a participant in 2006, and then as a wheelchair skills trainer and course leader. Tim has also been heavily involved in training new peer trainers and was co-author of the Back Up Trust’s Wheelchair Skills manual. He has also delivered courses with Motivation in Fiji and is currently on the advisory group for Engage – a program established to support people with SCI to find meaning and purpose following SCI. Tim has lived in NSW with his family since 2013. In addition to delivering courses, Tim is currently tasked with developing Skills for Independence content relevant for the Australian context, including development of modules to deliver on-line.
Larnie Ball
Program Manager
Larnie has a background of 27 years’ experience working and volunteering in the disability field, with qualifications in Disability Studies, and Personal Performance Coaching. Her husband, David Ball, has paraplegia. She has worked extensively in adaptive recreation programs domestically and internationally and has held several service development, program delivery and group leader roles with Back Up Trust UK. Larnie is currently Project Manager for AQA Victoria’s Living Well project, delivering a program of Skills for Independence courses.
Dr Gillean Hilton
Impact, Evaluation and Research Lead
Gill is an occupational therapist and clinical researcher. She has over 20 years experience working in the field of SCI rehabilitation as a clinician, researcher and project manager. Her work with the Victorian Spinal Cord Service included rebuilding the leisure program within the rehabilitation setting, establishing the Spinal Community Integration Service and more recently her research experience has focused on early vocational rehabilitation following SCI. She has partnered extensively with AQA Victoria, Austin Health and the broader SCI community in projects to strengthen the recognition of people with lived experience of SCI contributing to research, rehabilitation and community integration.