What is the purpose of your event?

Before you start planning, there are some framing questions that you should be able to answer. Your answers will help guide you in creating an event that addresses your goals, and works the best it can for your intended audience. We suggest framing your planning process around the concept of thriving: what does it look like when you and your guests are able to thrive at an event, and how can that advance everyone’s goals in the safest and most satisfying way possible? This means that you want to design the event with the purpose in mind, not the experience – the experience will follow from the goals! So, the questions:

• Is this event primarily intended to function as a networking, socializing, entertainment, recruiting, pitching, or learning event? What aspects of the event serve or detract from that function?
  • e.g., If you are planning a networking event, have you provided tools to promote fruitful networking? If you are planning a mixer, are you supplying name tags?
• Who is your event for, and why are others included? In other words, are the key audience(s) at the forefront of your mind in addressing accessibility, safety, and experience? Will the inclusion of other people enhance or detract from that experience?
  • e.g., If you are hosting an event for women, are you taking steps to foreground their needs? Will the inclusion of men make the event feel less safe or accessible to them?
• Have you taken into account any religious holidays or celebrations when selecting a date for the event?

Alcohol at Events

Alcohol, while traditionally served in social functions for adults in the Western world, has been linked to a variety of deleterious social and health outcomes (e.g., Dunne & Katz, 2015; Lorentz & Ulman, 2016; Rehm & Gmel, 1999; World Health Organization, 2018). In the game industry, alcohol-centric events at or around major conventions have also been events where alleged sexual assaults occurred, frequently through alcoholic drinks which have been drugged or “spiked.” (e.g., Murray, 2023; Takahashi, 2023). 

There are billions of people globally who do not drink alcohol for religious, health, and other social reasons (World Health Organization, 2018). Serving alcohol exclusively – or with minimally available alternatives – can be tacitly exclusionary to those who do not equally participate in alcohol-centric, social rituals.  Additionally, many non-alcohol drinkers frequently feel pressured to justify or rationalize their abstention, which often involves the pressured revelation of private information. 

To be more readily inclusive of everyone, as well as to potentially reduce the risk of deleterious outcomes at one’s event, consider the following strategies:

• Not allowing or serving alcohol at all. For example, holding a tea party or “Detox Brunch.” Alternatively, set aside a portion of the event as alcohol-free.
• Center the focus of the event on something other than alcohol consumption (e.g., networking at a tea shop or playing arcade games instead of a gathering at a bar or nightclub).
• If alcohol is served, ensure that appealing and diverse non-alcoholic options are available (e.g., a separate menu of craft mocktails or soft drink choices).
• Limit how many drinks each person can order, in order to ensure the event focus is on networking (or another stated goal) instead of consuming alcohol, and that significant alcohol consumption doesn’t alter the tone or safety of the event for others. Drink tickets, wrist band punches, and other tools are all appropriate.
  • If there are concerns about the appearance of being cheap or stingy, we encourage you to provide messaging about why you are limiting the consumption of alcohol. Consider donating extra funds to a deserving cause or organization instead!
• Provide transportation vouchers to inebriated attendees.
• Supply chemical test strips with all drinks which allow consumers to test for substances used to “spike” drinks. 
• Cover all served drinks with drink lids.

A popular example of a low-energy, no-alcohol event at a major developer conference is an annual ice cream social in an outdoor park, during daylight hours, organized by someone who doesn’t drink alcohol. Several of the present authors have attended this event over multiple years, and some of the most common feedback includes:

• The event promotes increased relationship building among industry professionals in a manner alcohol-centric events do not.
• The event is more comfortable for those who do not drink alcohol, as they do not feel pressure to conform or pressure to explain their lack of social conformity. 
• The public, daytime setting feels generally safer for many people, as opposed to nightclubs and bars.

Sensory Considerations

Sensory overstimulation is a major obstacle for many in attending events in and around conventions. Various medical, psychiatric, and neurodevelopmental diagnoses feature sensory criteria as either a primary or secondary consideration in their diagnosis or management. For example, in the US, part of the diagnostic criteria for autism includes hyperreactivity to various sensory experiences (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). Those struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder can also experience exaggerated startle responses at sensory experiences which remind them of traumatic events (American Psychiatric Association). 

Irrespective of diagnosis and disability status, sensory overwhelm is a common experience at large, crowded events, especially when events focus on a high-production value. Take This’ internal data on the use of our moderated, mental health support spaces at major gaming conventions show that approximately half of the people utilizing the room do so because of sensory overwhelm.

Sensory-friendly spaces create a more accessible environment by engineering sensory stimuli to empower individuals with sensory sensitivities to participate and engage with the physical event space.

While different events have different scale and capacities for providing a fully staffed room for low-sensory experiences, all events should consider several things: 

• Identify the scale of utilization of an event space’s capacity, and communicate that to attendees so that attendees will know whether the space is walkable or navigable in a wheelchair when at capacity, for example.
  • Marking lanes of traffic/queues in crowded spaces (e.g. panel rooms with lots of chairs) with venue approved materials (gaffer’s tape, etc.) and ensuring these are wide enough to accommodate mobility devices. This helps ensure folks know what areas to keep clear.
• Provide a separate room with no music and accessible lighting (dimmer or brighter, depending on the situation), which attendees can access freely if they need to step away from the main event floor. The location and purpose of this room should be clearly signposted.
• Be flexible in your re-entry policies and protocols if you are unable to offer a separate room within the event, which will allow for people to step outside of the event in order to calm down or take a break.
• At a larger, more production-heavy event like a major industry convention, an on-site room designated as a staffed, low-sensory space might be appropriate, like Take This’ AFK Program.
• Provide sensory-regulating materials like disposable earplugs to attendees.
• Consider whether loud music and bright lights are necessary to the purpose of the event, or are required throughout the full duration of the event.
• Consider what smells and scents are created in the space. For example, if you use artificial smoke, will it have an odor or effect on those with sensory sensitivities or breathing difficulties. Additionally, consider designating your event as a fragrance-free space. 

Sharing Pronouns

Communicating personal pronouns, whether you are cisgender or identify outside of the gender binary, is an important step toward creating an inclusive event. When all event attendees communicate their pronouns, it creates a space in which trans and nonbinary people can do so without feeling “othered,” or as if they are causing a fuss. It also means that trans and nonbinary attendees are more likely to be able to enjoy the event without being misgendered, which can cause significant emotional distress (e.g., Johnson, Pietri, Buck, & Daas, 2021).

Pronouns can be communicated easily at events on name tags, badges, stickers, etc. At minimum you should have options for she/her/hers, he/him/his, and they/them/theirs, however it is best practice to include blank options, to allow attendees to write their own, as they may use multiple sets of pronouns, or neopronouns. Note that some people may not be comfortable sharing their pronouns for a variety of reasons, so making this process entirely optional, and not calling attention to those who do not want to share pronouns, is important. Be mindful of potential misuses of these tools (see Code of Conduct, below).

Detailed descriptors of expectations e.g. screens, noise levels, exits, outdoor space, dietary requirements

For many people, especially those of marginalized identities, knowing as much as possible about the event’s purpose, venue, size, refreshments/food options, schedules and policies is actually part of their ability to ensure their own wellbeing. Communicating clearly and openly about your event policies, plans, expected attendee count, and even layout – and coordinating with venue staff ahead of time to ensure you’re on the same page – can determine whether or not someone is able to attend. 

Attending an event alone in an unfamiliar setting can be anxiety-inducing; people with neurodevelopmental and anxiety-based diagnoses may need to be aware of sensory input that could be overwhelming; people with physical disabilities will have many considerations regarding accessibility both prior to and during the event; and people with specific dietary requirements may need to plan meals accordingly.

Digging around for this information can be burdensome. By communicating the details of your event clearly, you can support a huge number of attendees and begin to foster a considerate and inclusive event culture.

• Make as much information as you can available on the website, on ticket information, and during the booking process. If you can, include images to better inform guests of the location and what to expect, especially if the venue is difficult to find.
  • Information provided may include, but is not limited to: noise level expectations, whether there will be flashing lights, caption support, allergen/dietary information in catering, and whether there will be sign language interpreters or translators available. Information should also include a point of contact to reach out to if there is a piece of information someone is seeking but can’t find.
• Be proactive and transparent about things like capacity, seating availability, and event space layout. Communicating these things ahead of time can impact the attendance of many, especially those who rely on mobility aids. 
• When describing the event, instead of terminology such as ‘walkable’, provide estimates in meters/feet so guests can prepare in advance, especially if their mobility is limited.
• Communicate clearly whether there will be filming or photography at the event, and the purpose/usage of this.

There are many factors to consider that can foster reassurance and alleviate anxiety for guests, but clear communication is vital.

Engaging with disabled people: an event planning guide is a more thorough guide looking into disability-specific considerations for events.

Clearly defined event safety standards and procedures both reduce liability to event organizers, as well as increase the confidence of attendees to be able to enjoy themselves safely. Aside from clearly defined internal policies, event organizers should also be aware of separate venue policies and incorporate them into event policies and procedures or negotiate them with the venue. 

Internal Policy Considerations

• Safety procedures and policies should clearly define – at minimum – what constitutes:
  • A medical emergency (including mental health)
  • A behavioral emergency
  • Harassment
  • Evacuation
• Safety procedures should clearly outline steps to address each emergency situation defined. This should include who on the staff is responsible for implementing each step, as well as contact information for all applicable event staff and any agency or resources from outside the event staff (e.g., medical responders, mental health crisis responders, or law enforcement when absolutely necessary). This should include reported harassment events. 
• Finally, safety procedures to ensure that guest lists can be enforced by event staff should be determined and clarified with event staff prior to the event.

Identity-confirmed guest lists 

One of the key protections for people at events is knowing who is in the room, both during the event and in order to address any behavior afterwards. Even if people want to attend at the last minute, and you want to welcome them in, it is important to have everyone’s name and identity confirmed and on a list that can be referred back to. But do note that it is always OK not to include last-minute guests in an event, if you do not feel that it will maintain the safety or integrity of the event – just let folks know about that policy ahead of time.

Establishing and publicizing strict guest list policies also requires that front of house/registration staff are well trained to avoid situations where folks say, “oh, so and so told me just to give you their name” in order to enter a space where they aren’t welcome. That staff training must include a senior staff member who is on call throughout the event to come to the entrance and provide backup to enforce these rules. Anonymity and unwelcome guests detract significantly from safety and security.

A quick note on safety and privacy: there are situations and contexts where some individuals may not be comfortable sharing their name or  ID, or being publicly identifiable, particularly those who have experienced harm in the past, or transgender people whose names may differ from their ID. Make sure you have a plan in place to address this concern if it arises; e.g. guest lists including separate ‘legal names’ and ‘authentic names,’ or giving attendees the option to use a handle or nickname. In this case, attendees’ legal names would only be used for identity confirmation.  You should also consider different types of ID (e.g., event badges) that you could accept depending on the region and applicable local legislation.

Signed Code of Conduct 

People can’t behave correctly if they don’t know what’s expected of them. Codes of conduct establish and reinforce behavioral norms. They also establish a clear standard against which complaints and conflicts can be measured in real time. If you receive a complaint or witness something troubling, you have a clear set of standards to use to determine next steps. 

To be effective, codes of conduct need to be simple, specific, clear, and enforceable. Specific means that actual behaviors are identified as being within or outside of bounds. For example, “be nice” is unclear and overly general. Instead, “harassing behavior is unacceptable and will result in removal from the event” is much clearer. What constitutes harassment must then be clearly defined; luckily, many good definitions exist, such as the one Take This uses in its own policies (see page 3 of the social media policy). Enforceability means that codes must outline behavior that is identifiable, and consequences that can be enforced by the staff and volunteers who are available to do so. This often means that a senior staff person must be on call to resolve any disputes in real time.

Best Practice Code of Conduct:

1. Define consent: what it means, and how to give and get it, and that you expect everyone to respect this standard in all interactions (physical touch, asking for personal information, being in proximity to others, etc.). Include this in your code of conduct. Consent is not a static thing, and consent is as important when going out to a party at GDC with friends as it is in the bedroom or on a street corner. True consent must be: 

• Voluntary, which means that it is given without pressure or coercion, both implicit and explicit (because implicit pressure or coercion are powerful forces, especially when power differentials are involved).
• Informed, because what you are consenting to must be clearly stated, understood, and both parties must be sober enough to understand.
• Ongoing, because it must be clear that it is totally valid for feelings or a sense of safety to change, and that the revocation of consent does not imply that someone has done something unfair or wrong. Consent can be revoked at any time.

Know what consent looks like, and what it doesn’t look like, and make sure your team does, too. That way you can advocate for folks who may not look like they are OK, and also clearly identify when you spot consent not being given, or being revoked.  

2. Address the use of discriminatory or exclusionary language and behavior: have attendees agree not to use language, norms, and behaviors that inadvertently or intentionally exclude or cause harm of any kind to attendees or potential attendees. (e.g., people may intentionally weaponize pronoun tools to make the point that they disagree with their use. This should not be allowed.)
3. Define harassment. You can use the definition described on page 3 of Take This’ social media policy, or another definition. 
4. Include expectations around alcohol consumption as part of your Code of Conduct.
5. Make video and photography policies explicit (e.g., “For attendees’ safety and privacy, please do not post event photos to social media while the event is happening,” or, “This event is being audio and video recorded,” in clearly visible signage.) 
6. Explicit definitions of how to report on-site concerns or emergencies to staff.
7. If applicable, remind event attendees about overarching conference policies.

Commitment to addressing incidents

Consider including in your Code of Conduct a statement detailing your commitment to taking allegations seriously. For example, make clear the process for reporting issues and concerns both during and after the event, and detail the actions you intend to take upon receiving any complaints. Being clear about your stance and responsibility around harassment or allegations of misconduct will increase confidence in attendees of your event that, should they experience any issues, they will be dealt with, and in turn this statement can deter bad actors from engaging in inappropriate behavior. 

In addition, including this statement in your code of conduct is a prompt to create a plan for addressing allegations and incidents in an effective manner. In general, plans for addressing harm that occurs at events should keep in the mind the following principles:

• It is important in the healing process to acknowledge the experience, not just the intent, of any action. 
• Commitments to do better next time must be concrete and actionable (this is effective accountability). Depending on the circumstances, commitments may also need to be public, as long as public statements will not cause further harm.

When staffing events with safety in mind, how the team running and hosting the event is prepared can make the difference between success and disaster. Policies are only effective when enforced, and the people in the room are the only assurance that you can do so. Your team needs to understand the code of conduct, the policies, a definition of both harassment and consent, and who to contact at the event if anything difficult, concerning, or bad happens. These people need the preparation and support of good training and an effective, visible, and approachable leader who shares their commitment to making the event fun, safe, and enforced.

Additionally, conventions and events without clear chains of command or emergency response protocols run the risk of added liability due to inadequate responses which could result in harm to attendees and/or staff. Even when policies and procedures are in place, inadequate training of event staff can result in a lack of implementation of safety protocols. Some considerations include:

• Event policies and safety procedures should be made available to event staff in multiple formats (e.g., physical copies and electronic)
• All event staff must receive direct training and review of event policies, with separate focus on safety procedures, and should be given time to ask questions and address concerns. This training may be either online or in-person, but it is not enough to distribute policies and procedures to staff and ask them to independently review. 
• Designating a qualified inclusion/accessibility lead and making their contact information available to all attendees.
• Offering a form of bystander intervention training, like training offered by Right to Be. 
• Attendance at training should be documented and those documents retained.
• Policies regarding the documentation of critical events (e.g., medical emergencies) should be created and communicated to all applicable event staff. 
• At least some members of the event staff, especially those who respond to potential crises, should have training in crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques.
• Consider running a postmortem briefing with applicable staff to address policy strengths and weaknesses, as well as to address any follow-up needs. 

Have safety tools available to guests

Safety tools and resources can go a long way to ensuring that guests are safe – and that they feel safe – at an event. Identifying these tools and making sure they are available will also help your event team feel fully prepared. These tools are wide-ranging and may be specific to the needs and context of each event, but usually include the following:

• Tools for physical safety and health, including:
  • Face masks
  • Hand Sanitizer
  • First Aid Kits
• Safety tools for leaving the venue:
  • List of safe taxi/transport options
  • Public transport information (last trains, nearest stations)
  • Prompts for identifying buddies, or creating a system to find buddies before events begin (like WhatsApp groups, etc)
  • Third-party escort services, if available
  • Provide reminders to guests to utilize tech safety tools (i.e. safe arrival notifications/location notifications)
• A list of numbers to call for: mental health support, local crisis centers, hotlines/warmlines (emotional support lines). You can find a global list of these on Take This’ Mental Health Resources Page
• Drink lids and/or drink spike tests
• Display information about how attendees can flag people that are acting in an unsafe way to you without putting themselves at risk. They should know who to speak to, or what to say.

Easily Identifiable Event Staff

Many conventions and companies understandably focus on cohesive branding, whether that’s images and logos, trademark events, or brand colors. From an event safety perspective, this can have some drawbacks in the case of urgent needs. 

For example, if the color blue factors heavily into a convention or company brand, they might bathe the convention floor with blue lighting. Official event merchandise heavily features blue items. Third-party vendors follow this trend and sell blue-tinged merchandise. Convention staff, representing the company, wear blue t-shirts, albeit with thin, white ring striping at the edge of their sleeves. Given the flood of convention-branded, blue apparel, it becomes difficult to identify who is staff and who is an attendee, especially in a crisis when one’s high-level cognitive capabilities are diminished. 

As such, events should consider several suggestions: 

• Event staff should wear some sort of marker which is both easy to notice in a crowd and is notably different from the markers of regular attendees. Potential examples include: a full uniform, a shirt of a color which contrasts branding colors, or reflective arm bands. 
• Differentiating event staff solely through the use of a different badge should be generally discouraged, as badges are not easily identifiable in dense crowds or when a person’s back is turned.

Tools to communicate physical boundaries

There are many reasons someone may be uncomfortable with physical touch including, but not limited to: avoiding illness or infection, anxiety, certain neurodevelopmental diagnoses, differing social and cultural backgrounds, as well as simply personal preferences.

It can be difficult for people to advocate for and set their own physical boundaries, especially in unfamiliar situations or around new people. Providing a means by which these boundaries can be communicated across all attendees will alleviate many anxieties and concerns around voicing “I don’t want to be hugged,” as well as setting an expectation of respect for individual physical boundaries.

The way in which your event implements color-coding (or differently shaped stickers) can differ, but should be something that is available to everyone and easy to implement, such as by offering color-coded lanyards, wristbands, or stickers at the entrance of the event. It is also important to ensure that the meaning of each category is clearly communicated. Typically, you might see:

• Red = please keep your distance
• Yellow = handshakes/fist bumps/high fives etc. are okay
• Green = comfortable with being hugged

Feedback forms post-event to continuously improve 

Feedback is a crucial part of how we learn and grow, and this is no different for running events. Gathering feedback from your attendees will provide an insight into their experience, which will enable you to identify areas that were successful and can be replicated, as well as picking up on things that can be improved to provide the best possible experience at future events. As an event organizer, it also demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement and opens a dialogue between your organization and its guests, which can help to instill trust and make attendees feel valued.

When designing your feedback survey, try to touch on all the different aspects of your event, such as administrative processes, the venue, catering, staff, and safety measures. It can be useful to gather both quantitative and qualitative data: for example, using a rating scale to determine overall satisfaction for each area, while also including a free-text box for attendees to offer suggestions or expand on the reasoning for their scores.

Questions you could use include:

• Did the event meet your expectations regarding safety and wellbeing?
• What safety measures would you like to see at future events?
• Do you plan to attend another event by [COMPANY] in the future?
• Did the event successfully accomplish its goal of [GOAL]?

Of course, it is imperative to actually use this feedback once you’ve gathered it. You should set aside time post-event to analyze the feedback proactively with the appropriate members of your team. Be open and receptive to negative feedback: consider what could be learned from it. Consider that many attendees for whom you wish to improve are likely to be in minority or marginalized demographics, and don’t necessarily dismiss negative feedback because it was in the minority of responses.

Finally, if something went poorly, be transparent about measures you are taking to improve. This is especially important when it comes to event safety measures: it shows that you are taking feedback about safety seriously and are working to improve, or action issues appropriately.

Keeping Your Teams and Yourself Safe

When you attend events – especially large, multi-day conferences and conventions, it’s important to think of safety in more comprehensive terms. Members of teams have different roles to play in setting expectations and developing plans, especially when certain people have more social power or influence in a given situation. Across all of these points, the most important thing is to plan ahead, and have these elements in place well before the event starts.

First, for everyone: Remember to sleep, drink water, eat nourishing food, and recognize that while the FOMO is real, it shouldn’t be the only driver of your choices – large events are intense, and they are a marathon, not a sprint. You’ll always miss something, but you’ll also always do better when you’ve taken time for self-care and basic needs.

I’m a Supervisor:

• Model behavior which is healthy and safe. People tend to follow the example of those with the most social power, so if you’re the boss, people will copy your behavioral example, regardless of what you say. “Do as I say, don’t do as I do,” tends to be an ineffective message. 
• Set reasonable work hours and off hours, so your team members don’t feel compelled to stay at late-night events where alcohol may be flowing or getting back to the hotel won’t feel safe. Make these clear ahead of time so folks can plan ahead. 
• If you have a team attending an event, set up an informal buddy system. Buddies can provide a range of support, from simple digital check-ins to staying together in the same physical location to provide safety and support. Buddies do not have to be colleagues, but everyone should have a person or a group of people (across multiple days/contexts) identified.
• Make it clear what types of events are required and what are not, so that employees – especially younger or newer team members – don’t feel implied or mistaken pressure to attend late-night or social events.
• If your event presence includes a booth or table, ensure adequate staffing to provide for breaks and opportunities for team members to step away if needed.
• Identify local safety resources, including crisis lines, support networks, taxi or rideshare recommendations, and potentially law enforcement information. Note that, depending on the demographics of your team, law enforcement may actually cause greater harm than good. Consider what will provide the maximum amount of safety and create a welcoming environment for all members of your teams. 

I’m a Worker:

• Make sure you get clarity from your supervisors about the hours you are expected to work and the types of events and venues you are expected to attend. Understand (or ask questions about) the nature of each event or venue you are asked or invited to attend so that you can determine the purpose, and what your safety level may be.
• Remember that large events often blur the lines between networking and social contexts. Do not feel compelled to participate in purely social events, especially if they do not make you feel safe.
• Find a buddy! It can be someone from your workplace, or a colleague you will connect with at the event – it can even be different people over the course of the event. Either way, make sure you have people who can be with you if you feel uncomfortable, and people who will check in with you and know where you’re staying.
• Identify affinity or networking groups and organizations that are holding safe events and are building networks of trusted individuals during the event. These organizations are often excellent resources on local knowledge, event how-to advice, and support for parties.