Interview with Isla Scarvaci - Who Is Off To 6th WFDYS Children Camp In Ontario, Canada

The 6th WFDYS Children Camp — organised by the World Federation of the Deaf Youth Section – is set to take place in Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada from August 23 to 29, 2025.

And 10 year old, White Gum Valley girl and Fremantle Primary School student Isla Scarvaci is about to fly there, accompanied by her mother, Josie Hodgetts, to take part – as just one of four children selected Australia-wide.

Isla is a year 5 student at Fremantle Primary School and is very involved in school life being a deputy councillor.

Isla Scarvaci and Annie Carswell (front) with Josie Hodgetts (back left), Michael Barker and Kit Scarvaci

In Isla’s home, Auslan is the first language as her parents and two siblings are also deaf. As are her maternal grandparents. Signing has been a way of life for Isla since she was born.

Isla Scarvaci with Annie Carswell

When the Camp opportunity arose, Isla wrote to Soroptimist International Fremantle (SIF) seeking financial support for her trip which resulted in a donation of $1500 from the club towards the Camp costs, as Annie Carswell, Life Member of SIF explains in the podcast below.

The letter was inspired by Isla’s mother. Josie received a bursary from a Tasmanian Soroptimist club when she was in Year 12 to travel to America, a trip she has always remembered with great fondness.

Josie went on to attend Gallaudet University in Washington DC – the only liberal arts university in the world for deaf students. She hopes Isla will think about furthering her education at this specialist university too.

The Camp Isla will attend is –

• Designed for Deaf and hard-of-hearing children aged 9–12.
• Aims to foster identity, belonging, and leadership through shared experiences.
• Encourages cultural exchange and pride in Deaf identity.

Isla and the other participants will engage in:

• Leadership workshops
• Cultural learning and exchange
• Games and outdoor adventures
• Creative expression through sign language
• Friendship-building across borders

It’s hoped that the children leave with:

• A stronger sense of Deaf pride and identity
• New friendships from around the world
• Enhanced confidence and leadership skills
• A deeper understanding of global Deaf culture.

Our Editor, Michael Barker, was extremely pleased to meet Isla Scarvaci, her mother Josie Hodgetts, her brother Kit and Annie Carswell, Life Member of SIF, to make the podcast below where we talk with Annie about SIF’s support for Isla’s Camp, and with Isla and Josie about the Camp, the challenges of being deaf, and much more besides. The podcast would not have been possible without the assistance of interpreter Christy.

This podcast is also available in our Freo Life podcast series on the Apple platform where you will be able to access a transcript of the discussion.

Because of the need to engage an interpreter, listeners will discover the podcast audio has pauses between audio questions from our Editor and audio answers provided by the interpreter.

At the end of the interview we also made a short video of Isla thanking SIF for their support of her participation in the Camp. Here’s the video.