Measured momentum
12,400+
young people reached through civic, digital, and arts programs
37
local partners advancing safer, stronger neighborhoods
91%
of participants reporting stronger confidence after one term
OVERDRIVE
Fueling young leaders with practical tools and public purpose.
We connect creativity, mentorship, and neighborhood action so young people in Chisinau can build careers, launch ideas, and strengthen the communities they call home.
Impact snapshot
Four indicators that define our current reach.
Programs showcase
Hands-on tracks designed for real civic and career momentum.
Future Skills Lab
Project-based learning in digital communication, research, and leadership for secondary and university students.
See the learning pathNeighborhood Action Studio
Micro-grants, coaching, and implementation support for youth-led responses to local public needs.
View active initiativesMentor Network
Direct access to practitioners, alumni, and employers who help participants turn ambition into credible next steps.
Meet the networkWhy OVERDRIVE
We build systems of support, not one-off events.
Young people need more than inspiration. They need repeated access to tools, adult trust, safe spaces to experiment, and a path from learning to visible contribution.
OVERDRIVE combines coaching, public programming, and cross-sector collaboration so participants can move from first opportunity to sustained leadership in Chisinau, Moldova.
Meet the teamVoices from the network
People closest to the work describe what changed.
"OVERDRIVE helped me move from volunteering to leading my own neighborhood media project in less than a year."
"The organization is unusually practical. Students leave with a portfolio, confidence, and people who will keep answering the phone."
"Our daughter found mentors who treated her ideas seriously and gave her the structure to follow through."
Partners
A working coalition across education, civic life, and local business.
Civic Lab
Urban Next
North Gate
Moldova Tech
Step Forward
Youth House
Open City
Future Works
Latest blog posts
Recent stories, field notes, and lessons from the work.
What changed when youth teams started designing their own public briefs
Three implementation shifts helped our facilitators move from lecture-heavy sessions to ownership-driven learning.
Read the storyInside our spring convening for mentors, schools, and first-time community organizers
A practical recap of the ideas partners agreed to test together across the next program cycle.
Open the recapFrom pilot to practice: how neighborhood micro-grants are scaling responsibly
We outline the guardrails, reporting routines, and mentor structures that kept local projects accountable.
See the framework