Social Badges
The social badge system was developed by the autistic community to allow for visual, concrete social communication.
Each person at Happy Chaos events will be given the option to use a clear, clip-on badge with red, yellow, and green slips of paper that can be exchanged as needed. This allows everyone to signal their boundaries to others at the event:
Red:
“Please don’t approach me”
Yellow:
“Only people I already know should approach me”
Green:
“I’m open to anyone approaching me”
Social badges allow folks to quickly scan the room and know who is available to chat or play. It also allows people to let others know- without speaking— when they need a break from social contact. This can greatly alleviate stress and social anxiety.
If you are attending with your child, even if their badge goes red, please don’t stop supervising them. Stick together!
If someone’s badge is red for a long stretch of time, a facilitator may approach quietly and ask for a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” hand signal or nod, just to see if they need anything. If someone’s behaviors become very dysregulated or unsafe, facilitators will offer support and co-regulation.
