Serve in the U.S. or Abroad

Those concerned with issues of social justice and willing to commit for a year of service in the U.S. or some overseas countries might consider the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (www.jesuitvolunteercorps.org.) Unfortunately, you also need to be under 35 and most volunteers are very recent college graduates.
In fact, being a graduate is also a requirement. Being Catholic is not, though the great majority of volunteers are practicing Catholics and most are women.
The Corps works in 36 cities in the United States and in Nicaragua, Chile, Peru, Tanzania and Micronesia. They serve the poor in various capacities as teachers and community workers. They also commit to simple living themselves, and to community and spirituality. The program is open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, and to Canadians.
It is no secret that college grads today are finding it especially difficult to integrate into the work force. For those with the right stuff, serving the poor for a year could be a good choice. The Jesuits are one of the Catholic orders especially noted for rigour, particularly intellectual rigour, so I expect the experience would not be for the faint of heart.