A BARRHEAD teenager who has spent the past three years teaching people about the Holocaust has been named among the top 30 most inspirational young women in Scotland.

Kirsty Robson features in the ‘30 Under 30’ list, compiled by the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), for her work in defending the truth of the Holocaust against denial.

She told the Barrhead News: “Everyone on the list is doing such incredible things. I can’t believe I’m featured alongside them.

“For the last three years, I’ve dedicated most of my spare time to promoting Holocaust education and commemoration, so being recognised for it is quite an emotional thing.”

Kirsty, 19, is Scotland’s regional ambassador for the Holocaust Educational Trust (HET), which has opened the door to some incredible opportunities.

“I’ve studied abroad, which has really allowed me to further my knowledge of the Holocaust,” she said. “I took part in HET’s ambassador study visit to Budapest in March and then took part in the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Museum’s international summer academy, where I spent a week studying at Auschwitz-Birkenau.”

Kirsty was also asked to compere the National Scottish Holocaust Memorial Day Ceremony in Glasgow.

She said: “Not only are we seeing Holocaust denial and distortion rising, we’re nearing the time where we will have no first-hand witnesses left to share their testimonies.

“When you listen to a survivor, you become a witness to the truth of the Holocaust and soon it will be up to young people like me to take on this task on the survivors’ behalf.”

Former Barrhead High pupil Kirsty, who is communications manager for the Glasgow Jewish Representative Council, is studying society politics and policy at the University of the West of Scotland.

The YWCA 30 Under 30 list is made up women working in the arts, literature, fashion, business and more.

A spokesperson said: “These wonderful humans are either from or currently live in Scotland. Their experiences and visions for our society will undoubtedly inspire you.”