Michael Belgrave joined Massey University in 1993 on the opening of the university's Albany campus. A historian and previously a research manager at the Waitangi Tribunal, he taught in the social policy and social work programme until 2014, as well as Maori studies and history. In 1995 he began a long involvement with social workers and schools, managing and evaluating Massey University's pilot of the programme, and becoming the leading advisor and evaluator in the development of a government pilot and in the generalisation of the programme throughout New Zealand.