Your next chapter starts here.
Leaving school brings a wave of decisions — college, PLC, apprenticeship, work, a gap year — all while everyone seems to have it figured out. Chapter One After School™ helps students trade the overwhelm for a plan they actually trust.
After School™
From uncertainty and pressure → to confidence and clarity, one chapter at a time.
coaching & support
The pressure isn't the decision. It's making it alone.
For many students, the biggest challenge isn't a lack of options — it's the pressure to make the "right" choice while everyone around them seems to have their future figured out.
I keep overthinking every option and getting nowhere.
I feel the pressure from parents, teachers and friends — and it's exhausting.
Everyone else seems to have it figured out except me.
I'm not even sure what I actually want, never mind how to get it.
I'm terrified of making the wrong decision and regretting it.
I feel stuck — somewhere between school and adulthood.
What changes over 8 weeks
Before
- Overthinking every option
- Pressure from parents, teachers, friends
- Comparing yourself to everyone else
- Unsure what you actually want
- Afraid of making the wrong decision
- Stuck between school and adulthood
After
- Clearer on what matters to you
- More confident in your decisions
- Understanding your strengths and interests
- A practical plan for your next step
- Motivated instead of overwhelmed
- Trusting yourself to move forward
The Chapter One Framework
Four two-week chapters. Each one builds on the last — from big-picture direction, to a real decision, to identity and connection, to a locked-in plan.
Discovering Your Direction
Before making decisions, students zoom out and look at the big picture — what they actually want their life after school to look like, before any pressure to decide gets added in.
- Identify their values, interests, and strengths
- Explore different pathways without pressure
- Separate their own goals from other people's expectations
- Get big-picture clarity on what they want their life after school to look like
"I know what genuinely matters to me."
The Decision & The Steps to Make It Happen
With the big picture in place, this phase is all about the decision-making process itself — and turning that decision into a clear set of steps, whether the path ahead is a longer or shorter one this year.
- Learn a practical framework for making the decision with confidence
- Explore college, PLC, apprenticeship, work, and alternative pathways
- Map the real-life steps involved, whatever the timeline
- Break the decision into manageable, doable actions
"I understand my options and know how to move forward."
Identity & Tribe
Life after school isn't just a new routine — it's a new sense of self. This phase is about connection with new people and getting clear on who they are and who they want to be, as they start writing this next chapter.
- Build confidence in meeting and connecting with new people
- Explore their identity beyond school — who they are becoming
- Challenge self-doubt and fear of not fitting in
- Start writing the next chapter, on their own terms
"I trust myself more than I did before."
Locking In The Plan
The final phase brings it all together — locking in the plan, celebrating the first weeks of college, and understanding exactly what happens now, so students move forward with confidence and clarity.
- Lock in a clear, realistic plan for what comes next
- Understand how the college system actually works — what to expect and how to navigate it
- Celebrate the first weeks of college — the wins, big and small
- Get clear on what happens now and what to expect next
"I have a clear plan for my next chapter."
Everything students need to move forward
Running 17 August – 9 October.
8 Weekly Live Sessions
Interactive coaching and mentoring designed specifically for school-leaving students.
Reflection & Clarity Workbook
Guided exercises, prompts, and planning tools to apply what they learn each week.
Action Planning Templates
Simple, practical tools that turn ideas into real next steps.
Supportive Student Community
A space to connect with others navigating the same transition — and realise they're not alone.
CAO Season Support — Results Day & Offers
Timed to support students through one of the most stressful weeks of the year, this bonus gives students dedicated guidance to navigate Results Day and CAO offers with a clear head — understanding their options, managing the emotions of the day, and making confident, well-considered decisions about Round One and Available Places, rather than reactive ones.
Lifetime Access to Programme Materials
Students can revisit the lessons whenever they need support or reassurance during their transition.
Chapter One After School™ is a fit if...
This is for you if you're...
- Finishing secondary school this year
- Unsure what they want to do next
- Considering college, PLCs, apprenticeships, work, or a gap year
- Feeling overwhelmed by decisions about the future
- Wanting more confidence before starting their next chapter
- Ready to stop drifting and start moving forward with intention
- Worried your results won't get you where you want to go
This isn't the right fit if you're...
- Already fully certain and settled on your next step
- Looking for someone to make the decision for you
- Not ready to commit time to weekly sessions and reflection
- Hoping for a quick fix rather than a real process
Your child doesn't need it all figured out at 18.
What they do need is space to think clearly, guidance to explore their options, and confidence to take their next step.
This programme helps students develop the decision-making skills, self-awareness, resilience, and independence that will support them far beyond their first choice after school.
Lauren Jean Devine
Lauren is a qualified secondary teacher and certified coach who has worked with thousands of teenagers since 2014. Chapter One After School™ is built from that experience: a structured, honest, warm process that meets students where they actually are.
What students & parents are saying
"My school never told me any of this. I feel like it is hard for young people to understand sometimes — I am thankful for the help with my confusions about my next step."
"This has been such an empowering process. Great things are happening at the moment and I genuinely couldn't be more excited!"
"I'm so happy I took the opportunity. I really appreciate Lauren's flexibility and understanding — it shows that sense of passion to help someone."
"If I didn't attend the live workshops I wouldn't have absorbed as much."
"It is such a fab mix of meeting new people and having fun."
"It has definitely boosted my self esteem and confidence."
Chapter One After School™
17 August – 9 October · Limited spots per cohort
Chapter One After School™
Everything a school leaver needs to move from pressure to a plan.
One-time investment · Full 8-week programme
- 8 weekly live coaching sessions
- Reflection & Clarity Workbook
- Action planning templates
- Supportive student community
- CAO Season Support — Results Day & offers
- Lifetime access to programme materials
Spaces are limited to keep the group personal. Reserve securely online to lock in your place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Just the next small step, and the confidence to take it. That's enough to begin.
Chapter One After School™ — from uncertainty and pressure, to confidence and clarity.
© 2026 Lauren Jean Devine - All rights reserved