The Fathering Project was formed when a doctor noticed the dying men he was treating often had one big regret — they had not spent enough time with their kids.

Now the not-for-profit organisation goes into schools to set up dads' groups, organise activities for fathers and their children and provide tips on how to be more engaged in school life.

Chief executive Wayne Bradshaw said the best advice he could give men was to get the balance in their life right and to know how important they are to their child.

"The number one strategy that we'd recommend is simply to do a dad date, spend more time with your child one-on-one," Mr Bradshaw said.

"So if you've got four kids you have four different dad dates.

"It's dads and the child only and importantly when you have those dad dates you listen, don't preach, and build a long-term relationship with the child."

The group's other recommendations include practicing how to listen to teenagers and treating daughters with respect so that they later expect similar treatment from other men in their lives.

"I reflect back and think I wish I knew a lot more when I was raising my kids," Mr Bradshaw said.

"It certainly would have made life a lot better for all of us I think."

Sydney dad Robert Sherry took part in one of the camps with both his teenage sons.

He said he had struggled to find guidance on how to be a good father before coming across The Fathering Project.

"It takes a lot of effort and hard work I think to be a good dad and it's a challenging role and it's not one that we get right all the time," Mr Sherry said.

Something that he took away from the program was the importance of recognising milestones as his sons become men.

"One of the things I did was to organise a formal dinner for myself, my son and two significant other men in their lives and it was just an opportunity to mark that formal turning point into teenagers, but also for those other men to say some words of wisdom and advice," Mr Sherry said.

"But also to know that my boys had somebody else in their life to call on in the event they didn't want to speak to me about something over the coming years.

"I'd rather they went to a trusted source rather than perhaps one of their peers at school or some other group of friends."

His son Daniel said his dad was doing a pretty good job.

"He loves me a lot, even during tough times when I may think he doesn't," the 16-year-old said.

"And he invests time with me to try and build a better relationship with me, which I like a lot.

"So yeah, I'd say he's a pretty good dad."

The Fathering Project began in Western Australia in 2013 to help tackle the problems of child substance abuse, suicide and self-harm.

Some tips from The Fathering Project Go on "dad dates"

Go on "dad dates" Practice how to listen, not lecture

Practice how to listen, not lecture Play one-on-one with each child you have

Play one-on-one with each child you have Take your child away on a work trip

Take your child away on a work trip Be involved in your child's school and education

Be involved in your child's school and education Tell your daughter regularly that she's beautiful inside and out

Tell your daughter regularly that she's beautiful inside and out Help your child realise how special they are

Help your child realise how special they are Get help if you are not coping

It now also operates in Victoria, Queensland and NSW and has just received a $5.4 million Federal Government funding boost over three years to help it expand into more schools across Australia.

The Federal Families Minister, Paul Fletcher, said he'd also learnt a few things by speaking with the group.

"I'm not necessarily holding myself out as any sort of exemplar, but certainly my own experience as a father means that the priorities The Fathering Project is pursuing definitely resonated with me," Mr Fletcher said.

"Do you find the time to go and drop your children off at school, or pick them up from after school care?

"I know in my own life that it's hard to find the time to do and it's very easy to forget about the importance of it.

"But if you can do it, even just now and then, it's all part of performing that role as a father."