Fresh faces in the board of Eindhoven's French heritage language program

February 20, 2026

For many years now, there have been three hard-working and dedicated professionals running Eindhoven's French heritage language program: Catherine, Vincent, and Philippe. Their own children completed the program long ago, so it was time to put out a call for new volunteers to take on a leadership role. In January, they announced that Audrey and Marion have stepped up to join them, to learn the ropes. We asked Audrey and Marion m a few questions, to find out what motivates them and what they expect in their new roles.

How long have you been involved with the Francofilous program?

Marion: As a mom of two young daughters, I've been coming to the Francofilous as a parent since 2023, when my daughter turned  4 and could start classes. 

I recently decided to support the board as I also want to contribute to this initiative and make sure that the French-speaking families have a place where kids can relate to their French traditions. 

Audrey: I became interested in the Francofilous program about a year ago, when I moved from Groningen to Eindhoven. As an assistant professor in Language Learning at the University of Groningen and a French language teacher myself, I was keen to get involved in a meaningful educational project in my new city.

I heard about the HLE Network and the Francofilous program through several people. Vincent, Catherine, and Philippe kindly invited me to visit the school on a Saturday. I immediately felt drawn to the project and motivated to contribute in any way I could.

Tell us about your decision to join the board: what motivates you to contribute to the leadership?

Audrey: When I first visited the school and later participated as a guest speaker in one of the roundtables organized by the Francofilous program, I immediately saw how valuable this space is for both children and their families. It is a safe and welcoming environment where children can learn, play, and connect with others who share similar linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

For many families, les Francofilous represents a way to preserve a shared language and culture with relatives in France. It also helps parents feel less alone in carrying the responsibility of raising children in another language and culture. Balancing family life and a professional career is already challenging but doing so, far away from one’s support system and cultural roots, adds another layer of complexity.

There is a well-known saying that “it takes a village to raise a child”, and I realized that I wanted to be part of that village here in Eindhoven.

As a linguist specialized in second language acquisition and multilingualism, I can offer research-based insights and guidance to both parents and teachers involved in the Francofilous program. I am also the parent of an 11-year-old daughter for whom French is a heritage language, which makes me deeply aware of the everyday experiences, questions, and challenges that families and children face.

My motivation in joining the board is to support this community, make myself available to its members, and help ensure that the Francofilous program continues to grow and thrive for many years to come.

Marion: I love building networks, I have good people skills and each time I was bringing the kids on Saturday, I was amazed by the great atmosphere that there is. 

Many parents do stay during the lessons to enjoy a cup of tea/ coffee together and get to know each other. Sometimes you have just the feeling you are back in a café in France having  a chat. There are some jokes or discussion you can only have with the people sharing the same roots, and this is what I find there. 

I decided to step up and join the board to bring new energy and ideas when Catherine, Vincent and Philippe mentioned they were looking for people to support. 

What do you think could be challenging, and what do you think will be rewarding?

Audrey: One of the main challenges for me at the moment is balancing my professional life in Groningen with my family life and community involvement in Eindhoven. I currently move between the two cities, and I will continue to do so until I find a project or role that fully aligns with my personal mission: making language learning accessible, motivating, and deeply human for everyone, while also promoting a multilingual perspective in education and society.

The rewards, however, are already very tangible. Once a month, I come at the school and I am reminded why this commitment matters. On one side, I see teachers and children learning together in the classrooms, engaged and curious. On the other side, I see a group of volunteers (mostly fathers!) organizing coffee and tea, managing a small French library they have made themselves, and creating a welcoming atmosphere for everyone.

All of this, together with the board members, forms a warm and deeply committed community. It truly feels like a village. And honestly, who wouldn’t want to be part of that?

Marion: The challenge will be the time I can put into the foundation, have a family, and also work in another foundation. But I know this matters and will make sure to contribute to reach the goals we will set for Francofilous! 

Congratulations to the team at Francofilous! We wish the best of luck to Audrey and Marion as they get settled in.