Physical activity increases human health potential and has an impact on achieving a higher quality of life in society. The aim of our research was to determine the relationship between a physically active lifestyle and the quality of life of female students in the context of demographic and social factors (major, age, marital status, professional activity). The research was conducted among a group of 285 women studying physical culture and social sciences in Poznań and Szczecin (Poland). Average age: 22.7 ± 4.90. The standardized World Health Organization Quality of Life—BREF (WHQOL-BREF) questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life of female students, and the original survey technique was used to study the lifestyle of people undertaking physical activity in the context of socio-demographic factors. Nonparametric statistics were applied in the analyses of the results. The effect size was calculated for each test: E2R for the Kruskal–Wallis H test, Glass rank biserial correlation (rg) for the Mann–Whitney U test, and Cramér′s V for the χ2 test. The value of p ≤0.05 was assumed to be a significant difference. In the study, it was shown that a higher overall quality of life and health satisfaction, as well as better results in the physical, psychological, and environmental domains, were achieved by female students who assessed their lifestyle as physically active in comparison to those physically inactive. Higher scores of overall quality of life and satisfaction with health were found among female students of physical education and people participating in physical recreation, who also achieved better results in the environmental domain. Female students aged 23–25 had a higher quality of life in the physical, psychological, and social domains. Having a partner or spouse had a positive effect on the quality of life of female students defined by the social domain. A higher overall quality of life and satisfaction with health were characteristic of people who were employed. In the search of factors positively influencing the quality of life of society, it seems necessary to promote a physically active lifestyle among students. The observed differences in the quality of life and health satisfaction of female students of selected majors require targeted programs and interventions that improve the quality of their lives at various stages of their studies. Such activities increase the health potential of the individual and society, not only in the biological, but also psychosocial dimension.

Abstr actThis paper is aimed at presenting an innovative method of effective education for children and adolescents in the field of social competences through animation games and activities, as well as presenting the gist of nonformal education in this process. The research showed that activities which employ the abovementioned methods and techniques (i.e. energizers, ice-breakers, team-building tasks, communication and projects games) offer a significant educational potential, which may be used to develop social competences, and -consequently -social capital. Amongst the most frequently reported benefits of shaping social competences by means of non-formal education were: cooperation skills, self-confidence, decision-making skills, overcoming shyness, ability to help others, taking care of the weak, and coping with challenging situations.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many changes that have influenced the lives of people around the world and have left their mark in the world of sports, as well. Numerous restrictions resulted in the cancellation of the organization of many sports events, and the players themselves had restricted access to training. The main goal of the study was to identify the motivation to participate in a triathlon between athletes who have undergone COVID-19, those who have never been infected and those who do not know if they have ever caught the virus and to evaluate the differences between them. The assessment of the motives for participating in a sports event was conducted according to four types of orientation: social, experience, factual and results to check what benefits for well-being and self-improvement are brought about by participation in a triathlon as a mass sports event. The desire to feel unity, to develop passion, to integrate with other people and to get away from everyday life were the most important motives for those who have never been infected. It turns out that 100% of the respondents who had a history of COVID-19 disease indicated the desire to prove themselves. The desire to maintain good physical condition and health was reported by the majority of researched people, but again, all respondents (100%) who had been infected with COVID-19 indicated these motives as the most important.

The health of a society is conditioned by healthy lifestyle choices. A significant role in shaping health-related behaviour is played by university students, who should be leaders in the scope of health in the future. Our aim was to determine the intensity of physical activities and their relation with the intensity of health-related behaviours of university students of selected majors. Our research covered 372 students of physical education (292) and social sciences (108) from Poznań and Szczecin. We applied Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (MLTPAQ) and Health Behaviour Inventory (HBI). The relations between the level of physical activity (PA) and the health behaviour of the students were determined by intra-group correlations (r). The value of p<0.05 was adopted as statistically significant. Physical education (PE) and public health (PH) students showed higher levels of PA and health behaviour as compared to the students of social sciences (SS). The total activity metabolic index (AMI) indicated a lower level of PA among women, regardless of major. PA [4; 6) MET of tourism and recreation (T&R) students was highly and positively correlated with preventive behaviours (PB) (r=0.69). PA <4 MET of female T&R students and male PE students positively correlated with correct eating habits (CEH). We found negative correlations between PA ≥6 MET of female PE students and male PH students [4-6) and ≥6 MET and health practices (HP), as well as PA [4-6 MET) of male PE students and positive mental attitude (PMA). Positive and negative correlations between free-time physical activity and health-related behaviours indicate the need for regular physical and health education of students. Physical activity, correct eating habits and preventive behaviour of students will increase their chances of promoting a healthy lifestyle in society.

abstract. This article is an empirical study on the possible use of non-formal education in the broadly understood animation of leisure time. The study was conducted using a diagnostic survey method, as well as the techniques of questionnaire and observation, during the last meeting under the project "Non-Formal and Formal Partnership in Adult Education" (Grundtvig Reference Number 2013-RO1-GRU06-29569 2) in Romania, at the turn of February and March 2015. The study included 16 non-formal education trainers from Greece, Latvia, Poland and Romania. The aim of the study was to show the impact of the project on the beneficiaries and the development of their individual social competence, as well as to demonstrate the work techniques of trainers with different social groups. An animator plays an important role in the organization of leisure time of the society, hence their continuous education seems almost necessary. The improvement of individual social competence of the trainers surveyed will certainly contribute to their attempt to pass a various range of games, plays and other activities (including non-formal education) to the participants of the classes.