# Offering and Receiving Help

## Asking for Help from Anyone

We have a bunch of help channels in Discord. Got a question? Pop in in there. Someone might pick it up 👀. 

![](https://2165017364-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LckflnxdoFGRNgQmj50%2F-MBtJ5mMs9qgrLyo73CM%2F-MBtKAiOmxcaz4cNRowX%2FScreenshot%202020-07-10%20at%2017.24.57.png?alt=media\&token=55fa9b4b-d9ad-4972-b44d-fa6c3d2fb0c1)

## The Rubber Duck Debugging Technique

Have you ever asked someone a question, and by asking it, and then you realise you know the answer? Let's avoid the awkward *"Oh never mind.. sorry"* moment by using the [Rubber Duck Debugging technique](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging)!

You take rubber (or imaginary) duck, and you explain the problem. Out loud. Yes, really. Observe how talking to yourself makes you smarter.

Couldn't figure out find the answer? [Ask in one of the help channels](#asking-for-help-from-anyone) or [consult a coach](#asking-for-help-from-coaches)!

![A duck](https://2165017364-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LckflnxdoFGRNgQmj50%2F-MBtM83YJLgxITDpZiwR%2F-MBtNW8IP4cyMZLyX6wT%2FScreenshot%202020-07-10%20at%2017.39.04.png?alt=media\&token=4bb9fe92-a3cb-479f-ae35-6bc81a158826)

You can read more about this technique on [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging) – specifically for development. However, it's also useful for problems, like finding out how a certain tool works. Try it and let us know if it worked!

## Asking for Help

Whenever a someone types "@helping-hand" in one of the help channels, everyone that clicked the little hand in the #help channel, will get a notification. If you can help out, you can just react on that message in the corresponding channel!

![](https://2165017364-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LckflnxdoFGRNgQmj50%2F-MeJEmLi6sF0eOJTf_Ff%2F-MeJFcUv_4_ElBPeyd0w%2FScreenshot%202021-07-11%20at%2008.30.11.png?alt=media\&token=1686b27d-cb30-4c62-b3eb-7b482bdea92e)

## Making Yourself Available to Help

Click the little hand emoji in #help to make yourself available to help!

Tip: As a coach, whenever you have some time off *– AKA letting your students go 🔥*, you can offer your time to help out students by clicking the hand emoji in the help channel #start-consulting.

![#help channel](https://2165017364-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-LckflnxdoFGRNgQmj50%2F-MeJEmLi6sF0eOJTf_Ff%2F-MeJF23PGBoZ2hlJ2WjI%2FScreenshot%202021-07-11%20at%2008.27.29.png?alt=media\&token=8915b80d-5842-42fe-ace1-7a2daff83358)

{% hint style="info" %}
Aim to be available to people outside of your team approximately for one hour a day (fulltime coaches) or half an hour a day (halftime coaches).
{% endhint %}

Even if you're not actively consulting, and you see a message pop up in one of the help channels, you don't have to hold back. Open summer of code was built on people helping each other out!