What is a GCconnex avatar badge?

Avatar badges allow users to show their involvement with, or support of, a pan-government initiative. 


What are the requirements for getting an avatar badge to support an initiative?

  • The initiative must be pan-governmental.
  • The initiative must have a group on GCconnex with a strong and active presence on GCconnex, and preferably a presence on other GCTools, such as GCpedia and GCintranet.
  • The initiative must be aligned with the federal government priorities for the upcoming year(s) and/or Blueprint 2020 commitments.
  • The initiative’s project team must provide the GCTools team at TBS with a copy of its engagement plan, which shows how the GCTools will be used for online engagement in the initiative.


Who can add a badge to their avatar?

Anyone on GCconnex can add a badge to their avatar. However, the functionality of the badges is linked to GCconnex groups. A user must be a member of the group related to the initiative in order to add the badge to their avatar.


What do avatar badges look like?

Avatar badges appear at the bottom of a person's profile avatar in the shape of a ribbon. The badge contains the design of your choice in the center circle and can be customized to appear in the colour of your choice.  Mousing over the badge will reveal the name of the initiative.


Example of an avatar badge.


How many avatar badges can someone have?

Only one badge at a time can be added to someone's avatar.


How can someone add a badge to their avatar?

To make it easy for someone to add a badge to their profile's avatar, a widget will appear in the top right corner of the main page of the initiative’s group. This widget includes a short text and a button to add the badge to the user’s avatar. The widget will match the colour you’ve chosen for your badge and will include the name of the initiative. 



The badge can also be added directly from the person's profile settings. (See: How do I Add a Badge to my Avatar? for more information).


How do I request a new avatar badge for my initiative?


To get an avatar badge for your initiative, you must first submit a request through the Help/Contact Us portal:

  1. Go to the Help/Contact Us page.
  2. Include “Request for new avatar badge” in the subject.
  3. Select “Group-related” as the type.
  4. In the Description include:
    • The name of the initiative and a link to its group page.
    • How the initiative meets the requirements listed above.
    • An estimate timeline of the initiative.
  5. Once you’ve included all of the required information, click Submit.


The GCTools team will then review the information you provided to determine if you are eligible to get an avatar badge. Once your request is reviewed, someone from the GCTools team will contact you to confirm the next steps. 


What else will I need to submit to get a new avatar badge?

To complete the process, you will need to submit the following information and files: 

  • The name of the badge in English and French. This name will appear in the drop-down menu below the Edit avatar option in the user's profile, and as alternative text.
  • The image file you wish to use for your badge. This image should be 60px by 60px and should not include any text. (Note: the image will appear smaller when displayed on an avatar).
  • Colour to be used for the ribbon (RGB). This will be the lighter colour in the ribbon, the darker colour will be based on this shade.
  • The quoted text that will appear to tell a user to add your badge:
    • EN: Show your support for "TEXT" by adding the badge to your avatar
    • FR : Démontrer votre engagement pour appuyer la «TEXT» et ajoutez l'écusson à votre avatar.