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The Better Business Bureau’s Smarts Program

Denver’s Better Business Bureau Foundation—the nonprofit, outreach division of the bureau—is expanding its year-old Smarts Program to benefit both students and area businesses. Originally launched to teach office skills to local high schoolers, the program is shifting to a full-service internship hub that pairs high school juniors and seniors with local businesses (Done Plumbing is already on board). The idea: Students get 10 hours a week of workplace experience, and companies—which may not be able to start their own internship program—get the BBB-approved man-hours. The foundation handles all the coordination and human resources work. “It boosts morale if your business is working toward not just the bottom line, but also to help students,” says Kevin Root, who manages the interns. “A lot of people, I think, have been in that situation where they wanted someone to just give them a chance.” Find out how your company can partner with the foundation at denver.bbb.org/foundation-youth.