References

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Hi there! How did you go about getting "professional" references, if you've never worked before? People say to ask people that you've babysat for, or other odd jobs like that, but the only people I've babysat for are family (and they don't allow relatives to be references).

This is so frustrating, because the place I'm applying to volunteer for wants:
1. An Employer, or Instructor who has known you for at least TWO years:
2. A relative who has known you for at least 10 years:
3. An unrelated person who has known you for at least 2 years:
WTF, they want their address and occupation as well. Why the heck do they need their occupation? This application is also a billion (not really) pages long, and they want your mental health history and things like that. It's for mentoring youth.

The next place hasn't asked for references yet, but I know they will probably request them at the interview. And the third place, they want references too (all professional references who I've known for at least a year).

Right now I'm volunteering at a hospice (just started in April), and the way I got references was from asking two professors from this spring (and I really hated asking, but it had to be done). That application wasn't really specific on how long I had to know the references though.

The reason why I'm volunteering and am looking for more places to volunteer at is because I love to do it, and because one day I hope to apply to medical school. It's been really hard though (the social aspect), but I'm getting better at it. And I know this is the employment section, but these places screen you as if you were a prospective employee (applications, interviews, background checks, confidentiality agreements etc).

Thanks for the suggestions! I know this was a long post, so I put the main question in bold.

I lost my job five years ago, and I decided to rebuild my references from scratch. I found a church and did projects through them to the point that the priest is very fond of me and has promised to be my reference. I don't know how you feel about church. I am very suspicious about most churches but did finally find one that accepted me. I'm not trying to convert you, or anything, but it is a fairly good way to develop a reference.

Hmm, initially you mentioned that the place didn't allow relatives to be references, but then you mentioned that they were looking for a relative who has known you for at least ten years? Just a little confused over that...

Anyways, digging up references is never pleasant. From that list, it sounds like they're looking for character references and I guess they're stringent on the references because young people are involved and they want to make sure that the most suitable people are in the volunteer position.

When I first started looking for work, I also started off volunteering and used my supervisor at the place I was volunteering at as my main reference. Volunteering is a good way of building up names.

I was quite happy to ask my college teacher if I could put his name down on an application form as a referee. He said yes. Only problem for me was that I needed another referee as well. I didn't have an employment reference so the best I could think of was to ask one of the blokes whom I was at college with (and got on well with) if I could put his name down. He agreed, but I was unsuccessful in the jobs I applied for so he never received a request. But, I put his name down again on a recent job for which I was successful and he wrote me a reference.

Hopefully now I will be able to use my new employer as a referee if I go for any other jobs. I doubt I will be able ask the teacher for a reference any more though as I think he might have retired this year.

Hey guys, thanks for the replies. Yeah the first place wanted a relative, unrelated person, and professional reference. The next place wanted three professional references (and relatives weren't allowed).
But guess what! Here's what I did, and what I suggest for people to [maybe] do if they're applying to volunteer somewhere (might not work for a job).

Yesterday evening I e-mailed the volunteer director and I explained my situation with the reference section. I told him how hopefully some day when develop more references, I could be become a mentor. I was honest with him and told him how much I'd love to become a mentor someday, and how important it is for the children involved.

He replied this morning and said just to fill out the application as best as possible, and he said in order to attract a wide range of volunteers they need to be flexible sometimes with the applications. Then he invited me to the volunteer orientation, so hopefully everything goes well.

Thanks again for the suggestions!