Helping teens and adults build confidence, friendships, and a sense of belonging since 2021.
Meet Victoria, Founder & Director
For a long time, I kept seeing the same kind of student get missed.
They were bright, capable, and independent in many ways, but they were struggling socially. They wanted friends. They wanted connection. They just needed the right kind of support to get there.
There were social groups and programs for students with higher support needs. But for the students in between, there was very little that truly fit.
I’m Victoria Bennett Gandolfo, M.S., a licensed NYC teacher with a master’s in Teaching Students with Disabilities. After years in public and private schools, I saw how deeply social struggles were affecting students’ confidence, happiness, and sense of belonging, and how often families were left trying to figure it out on their own.
That’s why I created the Friendship Confidence™ Program.
I wanted to build something more intentional. A program created specifically for students who are independent in many ways, but still need real support making and keeping friends.
Over and over, families told me they had been looking for something like this for so long for their child, something that finally made sense for that “in-between” space no one else seemed to be addressing.
That’s what Friendship Confidence™ was built to do.
Meet Our Team
Ms. Heather, M.S. Ed
Heather brings 28 years of NYC DOE teaching experience and a passion for helping students build confidence, communication, and social skills. She loves seeing students grow and connect through Social Groups.
Ms. Elena Beregevoya, M.S. Teaching Students With Disabilities
Elena is an experienced educator with dual master’s degrees in Teaching Students with Disabilities and Teaching Russian. She blends games, teamwork, and conversations to help students build confidence and friendships.
Mr. Chris Maddaluno, M.S. in Applied Psychology, Licensed School Counselor
Chris is a licensed school counselor with over six years of experience supporting high school students. At VES, he creates a safe, inclusive space where students feel empowered and understood.
Ms. Angela Rosario, A.A.S., Behavioral Therapy
Angela has over a decade of experience working with individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. She brings warmth and dedication to helping students thrive in supportive group settings.
Angie
Angie is the friendly voice behind the scenes at VES, helping families with registration, day-to-day questions, and everything in between. She makes sure everything runs smoothly so our teachers can focus on supporting students.
Why Families Choose VES
Small, carefully matched groups (not one-size-fits-all).
Group leaders trained in the VES Friendship Confidence™ Program.
Warm, supportive environment where students feel comfortable.
Weekly parent updates so you’re always in the loop.
Programs that focus on confidence, communication, and real friendships.
We’d love to support your child.
If your child wants friendship and connection but needs the right support to get there, the first step is finding the right fit.
Hear from families like yours.
My son looks forward to going to Victorias group each week. He is provided with an opportunity to connect and socialize with a group of wonderful teens. They discuss what’s going on in their lives and share laughs while making jokes and playing different games together. He always comes out so happy and is excited to catch up with the friends he has made there every week!!
Victoria is great! I cannot say enough wonderful things about her and the services she provides. The social groups are so on point. My son is making real friends who he actually talks to outside of the group. He looks forward to the group every week. It's been a real game changer for him. I highly recommend trying a group with Victoria. You'll be glad you did!
Registering our (then) 12 year old autistic son for the social group at Victoria's was one of the best decisions we have made for him. Like many autistic children, new things can be intimidating for my son, but Victoria and her amazing staff made him feel right at home instantly. In less than a year, my son has made some great friends who he has been socializing with outside the weekly group meeting. And the detailed, weekly recaps from Heather are so insightful and very much appreciated. In addition to the weekly social class, my son has also been taking a creative writing class as he wants to be an author when he gets older. If you're looking for ways to get your autistic child to socialize more and make some new friends, I can't recommend Victoria's enough.
My son attends Victoria's social skills group since the fist day she created this class. Attending the social skills group has been a truly transformative experience. From the very first session, the environment felt welcoming, supportive, and inclusive not only for the students but for the parents. Victoria were not only knowledgeable but also deeply empathetic, creating a safe space for everyone to share, learn, and grow. The group sessions were thoughtfully structured, blending interactive activities, role-playing, and open discussions. Each week focused on a different theme—such as active listening, conflict resolution, or non-verbal communication—which helped build a well-rounded skill set. What stood out most was the emphasis on real-life application; the students were encouraged to practice these skills outside the group and reflect on our experiences. One of the most valuable aspects was the sense of community. It was reassuring to connect with others who were also working on similar goals. The group dynamic fostered mutual encouragement and accountability, which made the learning process more engaging and less intimidating. Overall, I highly recommend this social skills group to anyone looking to improve their interpersonal communication, build confidence in social settings, or simply connect with others in a meaningful way. It’s a great investment in personal growth and emotional intelligence. Victoria is an absolute gem!
Over the years when we've signed up our son for a class it is either hit or miss. We heard great things about Victoria's class and decided to give it a try. Well it is the best move we've ever made as our son looks forward to attending every week and has made friends during his time there. Our son is very shy and now is always texing his friend from the group something he would never do before he started this class. Victoria has a great way of relating to the class and makes it enjoyable for all. As a parent we totally recommend Victoria's classes and parents can feel at ease with her instructing our children. They will enjoy the classes...
My child is participating in the social groups, and I cant say enough good things! Victoria cares so much about the kids, ensuring that they “mesh” well with one another. Her facility is comfortable and welcoming. My daughter has already made a friend connection from the social group. I would recommend VES to anyone without reservation.
Love going to Victoria’s for the Wednesday meet. I have gone and met some of my good friends always a blast 100 stars out of 5.
Definitely 5 Stars. My son has been going to Victorias program for almost one year now. He really looks forward to the weekly classes and enjoys all the activities that Victoria has planned. This is a great example of learning made fun. Highly recommended!
Victoria is absolutely amazing. She is a very sweet and very caring person. I can’t recommend her enough. I just started joining a group at Victoria’s Educational Services a few months ago and I always have fun. I would give VES 10 stars out of 5. I have autism and I can definitely improve myself in many ways if I have the urge to do so when being in VES.
Victoria is great! She is extremely knowledgeable and thorough. My son looks forward to each session. She offers our young adults the opportunities and empower them with key social skills. Each social group session is very well organized in a comfortable environment and she provides an overview to parents after each session, which is very helpful. I would recommend VES to anyone without reservation.
Victoria's Educational Services offers a warm and friendly atmosphere for people who are meeting up with special goals in mind. Victoria's knowledge and openness will help all to soar!
Victoria offers a wide arrange of services, she is extremely knowledgeable, thorough and compassionate. I highly recommend reaching out to her for tutoring or if your child suffers from any social disabilities.
I think it was a fun and wonderful experience. I can’t wait to do it again in the future !! I enjoyed it a lot.
I love attending the workshops…..Victoria really helped me gain the confidence I needed to speak towards other people
My 18 year old daughter enjoyed the speed dating event very much. It was organized perfectly and provided a great opportunity for her to interact and increase her social circle. She looks forward to attending more of these types of events in the future. Thanks very much Victoria for this wonderful event.
We are so grateful for Victoria! She offers our young adults the opportunities and experiences that were missing from our community. Valerie had a terrific time meeting new friends at her Speed dating event. Thank you for giving our kids the chance to make these connections. We look forward to future events!
Helping teens and adults build confidence, friendships, and belonging.
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