Meet the Team
Meet the Team of SEN Space from Vikki Benton, the Founder & CEO of SEN Space to the Board of Directors who have a wealth of experience.
Vikki Benton
Founder & CEO of SEN Space
Founder and CEO of SEN Space Care and Respite Services CIC.
​
NNEB Diploma in Nursery Nursing (level 3). Studied Early Childhood Studies at degree level and a qualified Teacher specialising in Early Years with 5-6 years experience in educational settings.
​
Full time carer to her two children with profound disabilities for the past 14 years which is the inspiration for Vikki setting up SEN Space.
Meet the Board of Directors
Julie Hanna
Co Founder and Director of SEN Space Care and Respite Services C.I.C.
​
9 years experience teaching in a Special Educational Needs School. I have received training on the following; Team Team, Attention Autism, Intensive Interaction, Makaton, PECS communication system, Child Protection, Behaviour Management, Six Bricks,
Communicate In Print, Manual Handling,Emotion Works, Numicon, Discrete Trial, Epilepsy Awareness, Q-Skills, Hoist Training, Story Massage, Family Works Bereavement Training and Safeguarding.
I have knowledge and experience of using 1:1 work, Sensory Diets, Sensory Circuits, First/Then, Token Boards, Schedules, Individual Timetables, Visual Cues, Sensory Cues, TAC PAC, Choice Boards and a Sensory Curriculum.
I have experience writing and implementing IEPs, positive behaviour support plans, weekly and half termly planners, conducting and leading the annual review process, assessing children, writing risk assessments, writing Communication Passports, planning trips, planning events, writing reports and of accreditations such as ASDAN.
​
Worked with Work West, NICVA and Social Enterprise NI before setting up SEN Space.
​
Invested in supporting children, young people and adults with additional needs and their families.
Aileen O'Mahoney
Aileen is a director who has extensive experience in the full systems life cycle of ICT enabled business transformation programmes. Her experience spans from business case development through to procurement and programme management implementation on a significant number of major ICT projects for over the past 24 years.
She has worked in several large Management Consultancy firms (Goldblatt McGuigan / Deloitte / PricewaterhouseCoopers) on large scale digital transformation programme’s that have delivered successful Digital Services for clients.
Most recently Aileen has been Business Architect on a number of significant digital service change programmes across public sector. Her interest has always been about developing strategies that align the overarching objectives with operational demands of the business but ultimately enhance the overall customer experience. Aileen has been the lead principal consultant on a significant number of programmes within the NI Health and Social Care sector.
Aileen was a member of St. Anne’s PTA for over 10 years where there is a great sense of achievement in helping raise much-needed funds. The most rewarding part is when you see the children enjoying something new that the PTA has funded but also building a closer school community. Aileen was elected to the Board of Governors where she served a further 3 years.
Sean Bruen
Founder & Director with Kith & Kin Financial Wellbeing CIC.
​
20 years experience as a qualified Financial Advisor, founded Kith & Kin in 2015 as a Social Enterprise to help people improve their Financial knowledge and confidence, also to provide anyone access to Free Financial Advice.
​
Worked with the Cooperative, Royal Liver and also worked in the Social Enterprise sector before setting up Kith & Kin.
​
A true believer in community and as part of that Chairman of Friends of St Gerard’s Special school in Belfast in which my son attends and also Trustee for SEN Space Care and Respite Services a social enterprise helping children and parents with Special Needs in Belfast.
​
Guided Kith & Kin to be awarded as one of the top 100 Social Enterprises in the Uk, nominated by Natwest & Pioneers Post.
Ruairi Gillen
Ruairi graduated from University of Ulster in 2009 with a degree in law (LLB Honours) before being called to the Roll of Solicitors in Northern Ireland in 2011.
Ruairi specialises in Criminal and Extradition Law and was appointed as the Northern Ireland Expert for the Council of Europe report into European Arrest Warrant Rights in Brussels.
​
In 2019 he represented a family at the Court of Justice of the European Union. The successful outcome changed how every EU country deal with visa applications.
In 2016 Ruairi qualified as an Advanced Solicitor Advocate with rights of audience in the Higher Courts. Since 2017 Ruairi has been a tutor on the Law Society’s Advanced Advocacy training program which is taught in conjunction with America’s National Institute of Trial Advocates.
​
Ruairi also teaches advocacy and court skills with CPD Training (UK) Limited and has delivered courses to international law firms in Liverpool and Bristol.