Patronage is extremely important in Ukraine today, as it helps implement important social projects. A vivid example is charity festival-auction "Volunteer Charm", which has already successfully passed twice in Odessa. With the collected funds, it was possible to do many good things — from helping our defenders at the front to supporting the medical field.
One of those who actively supports such charitable initiatives is Oleksandr Sivak, the head of the Strateg company, which is known for its very popular board games and other products.
Having arrived at the Strateg plant, we must admit that we were surprised by the variety of productions. Here, for example, clay bricks are made, there are crayons, here are Lego-type puzzle sets, and there are psychological games with affirmations, etc. Today, the company's games are not just entertainment - they have become a tool for rehabilitation, support and restoration of the psychological health of Ukrainians.
Games for mental health
One of the new areas of the Strateg company's work is the creation of games specifically aimed at supporting mental health. As Iryna Sivak, the company's development director, says, this idea captivated the team, and they are actively working on its implementation.
«We want these games to be more than just entertainment. We are currently negotiating with various psychological platforms. We already have some of the psychological games, but we want to make them deeper. For example, games with questions and answers, tasks that would be carefully worked out together with psychologists to direct a person in the right direction. We have an idea to create a series of games dedicated to panic attacks, stress, abusive relationships in the family and other problems. That is, a series of games with questions that will gradually help a person to get out of this state.
And I want these games not only to be bought for entertainment, but also for psychologists to be able to work with them. For example, when a person comes to a psychologist with a certain problem, this game can become a tool for the specialist. After all, in our difficult times, many Ukrainians need support and advice on how to proceed. We understand this very well.
This is especially important for military personnel who will return from the front and to whom the state does not yet pay enough attention and care. Already now it is necessary to think about creating programs for psychological rehabilitation. It is important to return from the war with a normal psyche - everyone knows this well, and they will need help and support", - notes Iryna.
Innovations in the company's work
Ideas for new projects in the company often arise unexpectedly. One of the workers who used to work at the service station, after the service was closed due to the war, joined the team and came up with a new game with dice.
The head of the company, Oleksandr Sivak, approves of such initiatives, noting:We always support any ideas. If it works - fine, if it doesn't work - at least they tried. By the way, I never considered this business as just making money. For me, it is something more - the opportunity to help people and support them in difficult times».
Cooperation with other professionals is also an important element of the company's work:
"We have a very cool creative department with people who are really passionate about what we do. This is an extremely talented team with great ideas, but sometimes we still need expert support to get our games right and help shape the right attitudes in children, - says Iryna Sivak. — For example, we have a speech therapist friend who asked us to create a board game that she could use in her work with children. One of our employees designed such a game, and it is currently being read by a speech therapist to make sure we did everything right.
We also have a game for children from 5 years old with questions like: "What to do if you see a dog on the street?" or "What to do if another boy hits you?". It helps children to form the correct worldview and tolerance".
In addition, the team began to use artificial intelligence and neural networks, which, although not perfect, help well in the work.
The atmosphere in the offices where the team works is modern and a little futuristic, and talking to the team of creatives who are engaged in the development of texts and strategies for new games, one could not help but ask about the very process of creating new games.
As it turned out, it depends on their complexity - simple card games can take between one and a half to three months to develop, while complex strategies such as Battle Royale can take up to a year. A lot of attention is paid to the design, perfect game mechanics and writing clear instructions so that players can easily learn the rules.
Military support and international expansion
The war was not the reason for the reduction of production or personnel of the company "Strateg". Oleksandr Sivak emphasizes: "When the war started, not only did we not cut production or personnel, but we did not lay off a single person. On the contrary, during the war, our team even increased - new employees joined us. With the start of the war, we had a short period where we stopped working, like everyone else in the country, but we got back up and running very quickly. We started releasing patriotic games, which customers liked, we were even told that they help preserve the spirit of Ukrainians in this difficult time, and then we gradually returned to our sales volume.
Now we continue to support the country's economy by supporting the armed forces with donations. And thanks to our employees who went to the front as volunteers, and we actively support them».
Currently, "Strateg" is gradually entering the markets of Moldova, Poland and Romania. Oleksandr Sivak says that the company is working on obtaining international certificates for its products. They adapt game instructions to local languages to make them accessible to new audiences.
«We have not only withstood the challenges of time, but also continue to actively develop, introducing innovations and supporting society. This approach demonstrates our mission — to benefit people, support them in difficult times and help them find peace of mind and psychological support through our productsOleksandr Sivak noted.
Olena Ovchinnikova communicated
