Overseer of the initiative, Plunket Hawke's Bay community services leader Tanya Jain, said Dads & Co wanted to create support networks for men, whether they were stay-at-home, or single fathers.
"Our vision in Hawke's Bay is to have a connected community where children are valued by empowered and supported families.
"To achieve this goal we can't just engage with mums and babies - supporting dads is crucial if we want to make a difference to families."
Mr Jeffares said the weekly Dads at the Hub group was an important time for fathers to meet while engaging with their kids.
"Dads don't always socialise with their children in the same way as couples or mums might. Getting dads together, and being able to talk through parenting and our role in our children's lives, is really important to ensuring the best for our children," he said.
As Mr Jeffares' own children had grown up he was also able to pass on life experience to fellow dads.
"I tell them as their children grow up they'll become more independent and so their relationship with their children now is vital."
From my experience you're never going to get this time back, so dads should really value it."
He said it was important for fathers in the Bay to know they were not alone in their journey.
"Being on board with Plunket, with an older family, is still teaching me things I never realised until now. You never stop learning, being a parent is a lifelong journey."
Ms Jain said Plunket had been doing work nationally to engage dads, but this was the first programme of its type in Hawke's Bay.
The initiative was working on new ideas like dad breakfasts, Saturday play and parenting workshops, with a first aid course planned for next year.
From 10am this Saturday, fathers and grandfathers can enjoy a few hours of play with their kids, and meet other dads for Superdads Saturday at Edukids, Riverbend Rd, Napier.
-Dads & Co meets every Wednesday from 10am for Dads at the Hub at Plunket 62 Flanders Ave, Napier.
