Q1. Describe the company
The Next Chapter is a TY mini company created to help children make the transition from 6th class to first year and to provide teachers with a helpful resource. It includes a guided teacher PowerPoint and a workbook for each student, brimming with fun games, activities, and discussion topics, while also going over the basics, such as new subjects and what to expect when starting any new school. Our book and PowerPoint have been meticulously reviewed again and again by qualified teachers and guidance counsellors with years of experience.
Q2. How are you unique?
We are a unique company as we provide students with advice that is 100% tailored to them, as we interviewed many first years to see exactly what they would have wanted to know starting secondary school. We also are students who were in the same situation only four years ago and our book is ‘Made by students, for students’ We have the first-hand knowledge and we used this to our advantage. We also have included fun games and activities as well as animated PowToon videos we made ourselves that really make us stand away from other starting competitors.
Q3. How did you come up with the idea?
We really sympathised with incoming first years, who not only had to deal with the anxieties and worries that come with starting a newer, bigger secondary school with new teachers and students, but starting school with Covid-19 regulations too. We wanted to create something that could really help them and hopefully make them feel more prepared, so we decided to make a book filled with advice from us and teachers and fun, engaging activities.
Q4. Where are you based?
Our mini company is based in Tullamore in County Offaly. We attend Tullamore College.
Q5. When was the company launched?
Our company was officially launched in December 2020, when we received our first batch of newly printed books but we began working on our mini company in September 2020 when we first started Transition Year! It has been a long process, but it is definitely worth it!
Q6. Who are your target market?
Our target market is parents of 6th class and first year students, the students themselves and teachers and student teachers.
Q7. Tell us about your team
Our team is comprised of Caitlin Dunne, Róisín Farrell, Nancy Flynn, and Kate Tracey. Most of us did not go to the same primary school and first met in first year, we discovered we all had very different experiences in first year, some good and some not so good and we really wanted to help children feel more prepared when starting secondary school. We all have an interest in education with some wishing to pursue a career in teaching and we all put a lot of thought and effort into this company. We organised our team by splitting up work and assigning roles, such as Caitlin – project manager, Róisín – operations manager, Nancy – finance manager and Kate – designs manager.
Q8. What are the long term plans for your company?
We definitely hope to continue trading long into the future. We would love our book to be used in classrooms all over Ireland and we aim to help as many teachers and children as possible. We would also be inclined to possibly write another book, perhaps about the transition to third year or maybe for junior infants. We hope to supply our book in local book shops in our area and we are hoping to get in contact with large scale printers such as Folens or Edco. We all have a passion for this company so stopping now is not an option!
Q9. How can people get in touch with you?
You can message us on any of our social medias which we have listed below or email us at thenextchapterminicompany@gmail.com or even chat us on our website using the live chat feature and we will get back to you as soon as possible!
Our website: https://bit.ly/2QsBCLk
Instagram: thenextchapterminicompany
Facebook: thenextchapterminicompany
Twitter: thenextchapte13