Helping kids, teens, and young adults build confidence, friendships, and a sense of belonging since 2021.

Victoria Gandolfo, founder of Victoria’s Educational Services and creator of the Friendship Confidence™ and Dating Confidence™ Programs, smiling at her desk in Staten Island.

Meet Victoria, Founder & Director

As someone who’s seen how isolating it can feel to want friends—or a relationship—and not know where to start, I made it my mission to change that.

I’m Victoria Bennett Gandolfo, M.S., a licensed NYC teacher with a master’s in Teaching Students with Disabilities and the founder of Victoria’s Educational Services.

After years working in both public and private schools, I noticed something that bothered me deeply: students were learning academics, but not the real-life social skills that make life meaningful—how to connect, how to build confidence, how to handle rejection, how to belong.

I watched incredible kids and young adults try so hard to make friends or navigate dating, only to feel more confused and alone. I couldn’t shake the thought: Where do they actually learn this?

When I realized that answer didn’t exist, I created it.

Through the Friendship Confidence™ Program and Dating Confidence™ Program, I help students build genuine connections, develop self-respect, and gain the confidence to show up as themselves—skills that shape every part of their lives.

What started as a single small "social group" on Staten Island has now grown into a wonderful community of kids, teens, and adults who feel seen, supported, and proud of who they are.

Because when people feel confident in who they are, friendships come naturally—and confidence changes everything.

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., Certified Behavioral Health Technician
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).

  • Social group teachers trained in the VES Friendship ConfidenceProgram.

  • Warm, supportive environment where students feel safe.

  • 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.

Take the first step toward finding the right group for your child.

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!!

Lisa
Lisa
Mother of Teen Social Group Student

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!

Dana
Dana
Mother of Teen Social Group Student

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.

Chris
Chris
Father of Preteen Social Group Student

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!

Frances
Frances
Mother of Adult Social Group Student

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...

Dave
Dave
Father of Adult Social Group Student

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.

Christine
Christine
Mother of Adult Social Group Student

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.

Izzy
Izzy
Adult Social Group Student

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!

Michael
Michael
Father of Preteen Social Group Student

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.

Frankie
Frankie
Adult Social Group Student

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.

Dr. K
Dr. K
Mother of Adult Social Group Student

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!

Christine M.
Christine M.
Mother of Adult Social Group Student

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.

Tara
Tara
Mother of Adult Social Group Student

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.

Alexa
Alexa
Speed Dating Participant

I love attending the workshops…..Victoria really helped me gain the confidence I needed to speak towards other people

Daniel
Daniel
Dating Confidence™ Participant

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.

Irene
Irene
Mother of Speed Dating Participant

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!

Lisa
Lisa
Mother of Speed Dating Participan

Helping kids, teens, and young adults build confidence, friendships, and belonging.

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