Educational Alternatives, Volume 23, 2025

Streszczenie: Non-formal education plays a key role in adult education and lifelong learning, providing flexible, accessible and personalised forms of education and learning that respond to the needs of adults in a rapidly changing world. An analysis of the Labour Force Survey data reveals that adult participation in formal education in Slovenia is relatively low, whereas participation in non-formal education is more prevalent. Non-formal education responds to the specific needs of individuals for knowledge, training and personal development. This paper presents two examples of innovative non-formal education practices in Slovenia: study circles and publicly recognised adult education programmes, with Understanding Health – The Pathway to a Healthy Lifestyle serving as an example. A study circle is a form of non-formal education in which a small group of individuals voluntarily come together to learn, conduct research or address a specific topic of shared interest. Originally a Swedish concept, study circles have been adapted to suit local needs in Slovenia. Slovenian study circles pursue two main objectives: an educational goal focused on acquiring new knowledge and skills, and an actionoriented goal aimed at applying what has been learned within the local community. Publicly recognised programmes represent another form of non-formal learning. This paper introduces a newly developed publicly recognised programme titled Understanding Health – The Pathway to a Healthy Lifestyle, which aims to improve health literacy and, in turn, the overall health of the Slovenian population. The paper outlines the key approach to the programme’s implementation, specifically the innovative use of a developmental e-portfolio as a tool for the self-regulation of health and the promotion of a critical perspective on health-related content.